Interactive comparative display of information

• US 9,946,444 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kazark Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kazark Incorporated
• Inventors: Hontz, Jr., Drue A.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, KIEU D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gattew, Asteway T
• Application Number:
  US14/382,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• 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 3/0482 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A system for a computer implemented interactive comparative display of information organizes a visual screen display to a user in such a way that the user is able to efficiently select information content, be presented with topical associations relating to that content, and readily compare different information content from a single display. The information content represented by each selectable result indicator is comparable with the information content represented by other selectable result indicators, wherein the information content is of a same type of information content but from a different perspective, vantage point, or provides a different alternative. A user may navigate to a particular segment of information content, and then be presented with a string of topically related segments, as well as with one or more connecting categories of information, which may otherwise not have been readily apparent to the particular selected segment, but for the display system and method.

Claims

1. A computer implemented interactive comparative display system, the system comprising:

a processor;

an interactive comparative display of information for display on a display device;

a first plurality of subject indicators displayed by the comparative display of information and all associated with a first category of subject matter, the first plurality of subject indicators comprising;

a selected subject indicator displayed by the comparative display of information and representing a first subject associated with the first category of subject matter;

at least one selectable subject indicator displayed by the comparative display of information and representing at least a second subject associated with the first category of subject matter;

a first selectable result indicator displayed by the comparative display of information and representing information content that is topically associated with the first subject;

at least a second selectable result indicator displayed by the comparative display of information and representing information content that differs from the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator and is also topically associated with the first subject;

display by the comparative display of information of the first selectable result indicator and the second selectable result indicator causes transformation of the first selectable result indicator and the second selectable result indicator into the comparative display of information, which is arranged in a visually comparative configuration of the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator and the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator;

wherein a selectable related category indicator is displayed by the comparative display of information in conjunction with the selected subject indicator, the selectable related category indicator representing a second plurality of subject indicators all associated with a second category of subject matter; and

wherein selection of the selectable related category indicator further transforms the comparative display of information into a visually comparative display of information represented by display of the second plurality of subject indicators arranged in a comparative configuration of the information content represented by each subject indicator of the second plurality of subject indicators.

2. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is comparable with the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator when the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is of a same type of information content but from a different perspective from the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator.

3. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is comparable with the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator when the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is of a same type of information content but from a different vantage point than the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator.

4. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is comparable with the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator when the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is of a same type of information content but is an alternative to the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator.

5. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, further comprising more than two selectable result indicators each representing information content that is comparable with the information content of each of the other selectable result indicators.

6. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator originates from a different source than the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator.

7. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator originates from a different source than the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator, and wherein each source is affiliated with a perspective of a range of perspectives sortable along a spectrum of a topical continuum for a topic.

8. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 7, further wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator has an affiliated perspective falling within a predetermined first portion of the spectrum and is positioned in a first portion in the display, and the second selectable result indicator has an affiliated perspective falling within a predetermined second non-overlapping portion of the spectrum and is positioned in a second non-overlapping portion in the display.

9. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 8, further wherein the first and second selectable result indicators are positioned in an order in the display, and wherein the order is the same as an order of affiliated perspectives of sources of the first and second selectable result indicators along the spectrum.

10. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 8, wherein there are a plurality of selectable result indicators in addition to the first and second selectable result indicators, each representing information content, and those selectable result indicators having affiliated perspectives of the range of perspectives grouped together in a predetermined portion of the spectrum are displayed proximal each other in the display, while those selectable result indicators having affiliated perspectives of the range of perspectives not grouped together in a predetermined common portion of the spectrum are displayed distal each other.

11. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of selectable result indicators in addition to the first and second selectable result indicators, each representing information content, and the display further comprises one or more user input tools for enabling users to submit input about one or more of the plurality of selectable result indicators.

12. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of selectable result indicators in addition to the first and second selectable result indicators, each representing information content, and the display further comprises one or more user input tools for enabling users to submit input about one or more of the plurality of selectable result indicators, wherein a position of at least one of the plurality of selectable result indicators is determined at least partially based on received user input.

13. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 12, wherein an affiliated perspective of the users is based at least in part on one or more of a user profile, a user tag, and user metadata.

14. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 12, wherein the received user input comprises one or more of user rankings, user ratings, user assigned weights, or user comments.

15. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, further comprising one or more user input indicators each presenting input submitted by a user about a selectable result indicator of the first selectable result indicator and the at least a second selectable result indicator.

16. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, further comprising a first user comment submitted by a first user about the first selectable result indicator, the first user being affiliated with a first perspective of a plurality of perspectives that lie in a predetermined portion of a spectrum also containing an affiliated perspective of the first selectable result indicator, and wherein the first user comment has a position in the display that is determined at least partially based on user input associated with the first user comment, and further wherein any user input that is used to determine the position of the first user comment comprises user input received from one or more users affiliated with a perspective of a range of perspectives lying within a predetermined portion of a spectrum.

17. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein selection of the selectable related category indicator causes the second plurality of subject indicators to replace the first plurality of subject indicators in the display.

18. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of subject indicators, the first selectable result indicator, and the selectable related category indicator are all presented in a single display.

19. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of subject indicators comprise one or more of event indicators, travel information indicators, hotel information indicators, recipe indicators, food indicators, movie indicators, or sports indicators.

20. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the first selectable result indicator and the at least a second selectable result indicator comprise a link pointing to a network location holding the corresponding content information.

21. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of subject indicators are displayed as a graphically rotatably selectable dial.

22. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the information content of the first selectable result indicator and the information content of the at least a second selectable result indicator are associated with tags.

23. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the display further comprises social media tools.

24. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 23, wherein the social media tools comprise one or more of comments, ratings, rankings, likes, dislikes, chat, messaging, voting buttons, or polling buttons.

25. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, further comprising a payment module or a transaction module.

26. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, further comprising one or more prediction buttons each presented in conjunction with the first selectable result indicator, the at least a second selectable result indicator, or a combination thereof.

27. The computer implemented interactive comparative display system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of subject indicators are arranged in a string configuration.

28. A computer implemented method for displaying an interactive comparative display of information on a display device, the method comprising:

displaying a first plurality of subject indicators displayed by the comparative display of information and all associated with a first category of subject matter, the first plurality of subject indicators comprising;

a selected subject indicator displayed by the comparative display of information and representing a first subject associated with the first category of subject matter, the selected subject indicator being in a state of being selected by a user;

at least one selectable subject indicator displayed by the comparative display of information and representing at least a second subject associated with the first category of subject matter, the selectable subject indicator being in a state of not being selected by a user;

displaying a first selectable result indicator displayed by the comparative display of information and representing information content that is topically associated with the first subject, the first selectable result indicator being in a state of not being selected by a user;

displaying at least a second selectable result indicator displayed by the comparative display of information and representing information content that is different from the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator and is also topically associated with the first subject;

wherein display by the comparative display of information of the first selectable result indicator and the second selectable result indicator transforms the first selectable result indicator and the second selectable result indicator collectively into the comparative display of information prior to selection by a user; and

wherein selection by a user of a selectable related category indicator displayed by the comparative display of information in conjunction with the selected subject indicator further transforms the comparative display of information into a comparative display of information represented by display of a second plurality of subject indicators arranged in a visually comparative configuration of the information content represented by each subject indicator of the second plurality of subject indicators.

29. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is comparable with the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator when the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is of a same type of information content but from a different perspective from the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator.

30. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is comparable with the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator when the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is of a same type of information content but from a different vantage point than the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator.

31. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is comparable with the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator when the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator is of a same type of information content but is an alternative to the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator.

32. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, further comprising more than two selectable result indicators each representing information content that is comparable with the information content of each of the other selectable result indicators.

33. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator originates from a different source than the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator.

34. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein the information content represented by the first selectable result indicator originates from a different source than the information content represented by the second selectable result indicator, and wherein each source is affiliated with a perspective of a range of perspectives sortable along a spectrum of a topical continuum for a topic.

35. The computer implemented according to claim 28, wherein the comparative display further comprises one or more user input tools for enabling users to submit input about one or more of the plurality of selectable result indicators.

36. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein there are a plurality of selectable result indicators in addition to the first and second selectable result indicators, each representing information content, and the display further comprises one or more user input tools for enabling users to submit input about one or more of the plurality of selectable result indicators, wherein a position of at least one of the plurality of selectable result indicators is determined at least partially based on received user input.

37. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, further comprising one or more user input indicators each presenting input submitted by a user about a selectable result indicator of the first selectable result indicator and the at least a second selectable result indicator.

38. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein selection of the related category indicator causes display of the second plurality of subject indicators.

39. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein selection of the related category indicator causes the second plurality of subject indicators to replace the first plurality of subject indicators in the display.

40. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein the first plurality of subject indicators, the first selectable result indicator, and the related category indicator are all presented in a single display.

41. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein the display further comprises social media tools.

42. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, in which the first plurality of subject indicators, selected subject indicator, at least one selectable subject indicator, first selectable result indicator, and at least a second selectable result indicator are all displayed simultaneously in the same display.

43. The computer implemented method according to claim 28, wherein the information content of the first selectable result indicator and the information content of the at least a second selectable result indicator are associated with tags and the tags are used to position the first plurality of selectable result indicators and the second plurality of selectable result indicators relative to each other in the visually comparative configuration.