Graphic-information flow for visually analyzing patterns and relationships

• US 8,843,850 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tavusi Data Solutions LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Barros, Barbara L
• Primary Examiner(s): ITURRALDE, ENRIQUE W
• Application Number:
  US12/549,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 715/205, 715/209, 715/230, 715/233, 715/234, 715/705, 715/711, 715/712, 715/713, 715/714, 715/734, 715/760, 715/808, 715/809, 715/810, 715/821, 715/823, 715/825, 715/828, 715/835, 715/838, 715/845, 715/846, 715/848, 715/850, 715/851, 715/864, 345/428, 345/619, 345/629, 345/630, 345/641, 345/642, 707/919, 707/920, 701/200, 701/208, 434/150, 434/151, 434/153
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A display control and information management system seamlessly integrates layered and slotted formatted data from local and remote sources to provide a highly versatile information display. The system permits selective control of display and display features so that complex data and data flows can be seamlessly accessed with enhanced cognition of salient information by a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a base map;

displaying an index with the base map, the index concurrently displaying a hierarchy of retrieval bars comprising;

a first retrieval bar for switching categories of mapsets;

a second retrieval bar, configured to be updated by a selection in the first retrieval bar, the second retrieval bar for switching subcategories of mapsets;

a third retrieval bar, configured to be updated by a selection in the second retrieval bar, the third retrieval bar for calling forth clickable lists of mapsets within selected categories and subcategories of mapsets, and

a fourth retrieval bar, configured to be updated by a selection in the third retrieval bar, the fourth retrieval bar for displaying, in part, designated portions of a list that is currently displayed;

receiving an index selection in the fourth retrieval bar; and

responsive to receiving the index selection, displaying associated mapset information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said fourth retrieval bar is configured to display multiple letters individual ones of which correspond to list portions that can be displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said index is configured to cause a map portion to be displayed responsive to a user selection within the index.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a context map that shows a present map location within a next higher level map.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a context map that shows a present map location within a next higher level map, wherein the context map comprises a toned area outside of which clicking will cause the next higher level map to be displayed.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a topic selector configured to retrieve site or object information for a particular topic.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the topic selector is configured to replace a base key with a topic-related key.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the topic selector is configured to present a query box.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the topic selector is configured to present a topic list with a subtopic list.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying a key having a set of symbols configured to show types of sites or objects positioned on the base map.

11. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

display a base map;

display an index with the base map, the index concurrently displaying a hierarchy of retrieval bars comprising;

a first retrieval bar constructed to be populated with a list of categories of mapsets, one of which may be selected;

a second retrieval bar configured to be populated with a list of one or more subcategories of mapsets determined based on the selected category of mapsets, at least one of which may be selected;

a third retrieval bar configured to be populated with a list of one or more mapsets determined based on the selected subcategory category of mapsets, at least one of which may be selected, and

a fourth retrieval bar configured to be populated with an index list based on the selected mapsets, at least one of which may be selected;

receive an index selection in the fourth retrieval bar; and

responsive to receiving the index selection, display associated mapset information.

12. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein said fourth retrieval bar is configured to display multiple letters individual ones of which correspond to list portions that can be displayed.

13. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein said index is configured to cause a map portion to be displayed responsive to a user selection within the index.

14. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to display a context map that shows a present map location within a next higher level map.

15. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the computing device, further cause the computing device to display a context map that shows a present map location within a next higher level map, wherein the context map comprises a toned area outside of which clicking will cause the next higher level map to be displayed.

16. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the computing device, further cause the computing device to display a topic selector configured to retrieve site or object information for a particular topic.

17. The computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the topic selector is configured to replace a base key with a topic-related key.

18. The computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the topic selector is configured to present a query box.

19. The computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the topic selector is configured to present a topic list with a subtopic list.

20. The computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the computing device further cause the computing device to display a key having a set of symbols configured to show types of sites or objects positioned on the base map.

21. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory;

a display presenting a base map with an index, the index concurrently displaying;

a first retrieval bar for switching categories of mapsets;

a second retrieval bar, configured to be updated by a selection in the first retrieval bar, the second retrieval bar for switching subcategories of mapsets;

a third retrieval bar, configured to be updated by a selection in the second retrieval bar, the third retrieval bar for calling forth clickable lists of mapsets within selected categories and subcategories of mapsets;

a fourth retrieval bar, configured to be updated by a selection in the third retrieval bar, the fourth retrieval bar for displaying, in part, designated portions of a list that is currently displayed, the first, second, third, and fourth retrieval bars constituting a hierarchy of retrieval bars; and

a control apparatus configured to receive an index selection in the fourth retrieval bar;

wherein the one or more processors are configured to, responsive to receiving the index selection, cause the display to present associated mapset information.