Method and apparatus for converting data objects to a custom format for viewing information in virtual space

• US 20020080177A1
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Buffalo Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: Buffalo Patents, LLC
• Inventors: Guzman, Adriana, Orbanes, Julian
• Application Number:
  US09/782,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080177A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

The invention provides method and apparatus for viewing information. In one embodiment, the system of the invention enables the user to view displayed information in a way that is comparable to a selected physical paradigm. Example physical paradigms include, but are not limited to, financial, educational, governmental, sports, media, retail, travel, geographic, real estate, medical, physiological, mechanical, surveillance, agricultural, industrial, infrastructure, scientific and other like paradigms. By presenting information to the user in a way that more closely mimics physical paradigms, the system provides an intuitive mechanism for the user to view, search through and interact with displayed information in an unrestricted manner. In another embodiment, the appearance is a graphical representation of one or more data objects, related to other data objects through hierarchical relationships defined by one or more templates. As the user adjusts the viewing perspective, the appearance changes in a seemingly continuous, non-discrete manner.

Claims

1. A method of converting data objects, the method comprising,

employing a spatial paradigm to define hierarchical relationships between a plurality of data objects based at least in part on said spatial paradigm, and

converting said plurality of data objects by locating each of said plurality of data objects in a virtual space, based at least in part on said spatial paradigm, to provide said plurality of data objects in a format adapted for substantially unrestricted searching by a user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising employing a template related to said spatial paradigm to define said hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and performing said converting step based at least in part on said template.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising defining an appearance for each of said data objects in said plurality of data objects, said appearance containing a virtual representation of one or more elements of said data objects arranged employing said spatial paradigm.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising employing vector graphics in defining said virtual representation.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising employing raster graphics in defining said virtual representation.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising,

generating for display from an adjustable viewing perspective of said user said appearance of a subset of said plurality of data objects, and

enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing said plurality of data objects in a second data source.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said second data source is said first data source, said step of storing further comprising,

deconstructing at least one prior hierarchical relationship between said plurality of data objects, and

replacing said plurality of data objects with said converted format of said plurality of data objects.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of employing a template further comprises employing a prior existing hierarchical relationship between said plurality of data objects.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of defining said hierarchical relationship further comprises,

comparing each of said plurality of data objects to a predetermined criterion, and

establishing a hierarchical relationship between said plurality of data objects based in part on said comparison of each of said data objects to said predetermined criterion.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to said plurality of data objects including an advertisement, defining a graphical representation of said advertisement in said virtual space, wherein selection of said graphical representation by a user results in the display of graphical representations of data objects related to said advertisement.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to said plurality of data objects including an advertisement, defining a graphical representation of said advertisement in said virtual space, wherein said graphical representations of said data objects can be displayed on a plurality of client devices.

14. The system of claim 13 further adapted to employ a template related to said spatial paradigm to define said hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and performing said converting step based at least in part on said template.

15. The system of claim 13 further adapted to define an appearance for each of said data objects in said plurality of data objects, said appearance containing a virtual representation of one or more elements of said data objects arranged employing said spatial paradigm.

16. The system of claim 15 further adapted to employ vector graphics in defining said virtual representation.

17. The system of claim 15 further adapted to employ raster graphics in defining said virtual representation.

18. The system of claim 15 further adapted to generate for display, from an adjustable viewing perspective of said user, said appearance of a subset of said plurality of data objects, and to enable said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion.

19. The system of claim 13 further adapted to store said plurality of data objects in a second data source.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said second data source is said first data source, further adapted to deconstruct at least one prior hierarchical relationship between said plurality of data objects, and to replace said plurality of data objects with said converted format of said plurality of data objects.

22. The system of claim 13 further adapted to define said hierarchical relationship between said data objects.

23. The system of claim 22 further adapted to compare each of said plurality of data objects to a predetermined criterion, and to establish a hierarchical relationship between said plurality of data objects based in part on said comparison of each of said data objects to said predetermined criterion.

25. The zoom enablement kit of claim 24 further comprising

a protocolizer in communication with said stylizer adapted to transmit said located data objects to a client.

26. The zoom enablement kit of claim 24 wherein said stylizer is further adopted to locate said data objects based in at least part on a template.

27. The zoom enablement kit of claim 26 wherein said template further comprises

a spatial layout portion adapted to determine a virtual location for at least one of said data objects, and

a contents portion adapted to define an appearance of at least one of said data objects.

13. A system of converting data objects, the system comprising,

a computing device adapted to employ a spatial paradigm to define hierarchical relationships between a plurality of data objects based at least in part on said spatial paradigm, and to convert said plurality of data objects by locating each of said plurality of data objects in a virtual space, based at least in part on said spatial paradigm, to provide said plurality of data objects in a format adapted for substantially unrestricted searching by a user.

21. The system of claim further adapted to employ a hierarchical relationship between said plurality of data objects that exists in said first data source.

24. A zoom enablement kit comprising,

an extractor adapted to obtain data objects from a data source, and

a stylizer in communication with said extractor and adapted to locate said data objects in a virtual space.