Poly vectoral reverse navigation

• US 20070106684A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServStor Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wilkens, Todd, Buckmaster, Janna, Trisnadi, Paulus, Gould, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A method, comprising:

providing a computer-based interface to a computer-accessible collection of information, wherein said collection of information includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of contexts, wherein each of said plurality of contexts includes one or more of said plurality of nodes, and wherein said collection of information includes a first node that is within a first context and is referenced within at least two other contexts, wherein said providing includes presenting a first visual representation to a user, wherein said first visual representation includes a representation of said first node, wherein said interface is usable to navigate directly from said first visual representation to visual representations corresponding to each of said at least two other contexts;

receiving, via said interface, input indicative of a selected one of said at least two other contexts;

responsive to said input, navigating directly from said first visual representation to a visual representation corresponding to said selected other context.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said first visual representation includes a representation of a second node that is referenced within a second context and within a third context, and wherein said interface is usable to navigate directly from said first visual representation to visual representations corresponding to each of said second and third contexts.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

responsive to input indicating said selected other context, providing a representation of said selected other context to said user.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said first node is a file.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said collection of information is a file system, wherein each of said plurality of nodes is a file, and wherein each of said plurality of contexts is a directory.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said first visual representation includes visual objects corresponding to each of said at least two other contexts.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving additional input indicative of a first visual object indicative of a second context that includes a reference to said first node;

responsive to said additional input, providing a visual representation corresponding to said second context.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said interface is web-based.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein said at least two other contexts include a second context including a reference to said first node.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said reference to said first node is an alias to said first node, wherein said first node is a file.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said reference to said first node is a second node that is within said second context and is an exact copy of said first node.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said reference to said first node is a second node that is within said second context and has essentially the same content as said first node.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said first node is a first word processing document and wherein said second node is a second word processing document that differs from said first word processing document only in its format settings.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said first node is a first graphical file and wherein said second node is a different version of said first graphical file.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein said reference to said first node is a second node that incorporates said first node.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein said reference to said first node is a second node that incorporates a portion of said first node.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein said reference to said first node is a second node that includes a copyright signature of said first node, wherein said first and second nodes are files.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein said reference to said first node is a second node that is a compressed version of said first node.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein said reference to said first node is a second node that includes a compressed version of said first node.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein said reference to said first node is a second node that is an archived version of said first node.

39. The method of claim 19, wherein said collection of information is distributed across a wide-area network.

40. The method of claim 19, wherein said providing is done via a browser.

41. The method of claim 19, wherein said first visual representation corresponds to a web page.

42. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a computer-based interface, input selecting a first node within a computer-accessible information hierarchy including a plurality of nodes, wherein said information hierarchy includes references to one or more of said plurality of nodes, including two or more references to said first node;

responsive to said input, providing a first visual representation that identifies all references in said information hierarchy to said first node.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said information hierarchy includes a plurality of contexts, wherein each of said plurality of contexts includes one or more of said plurality of nodes, wherein said first visual representation identifies all contexts within said information hierarchy that include nodes that reference said first node.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein said first visual representation identifies all nodes within said information hierarchy that reference said first node.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein said interface is usable to navigate from said first visual representation directly to visual representations that, collectively, include all nodes in said information hierarchy that reference said first node.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein a node is a basic unit of data within said information hierarchy, and wherein said interface is web-based.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein said information hierarchy includes a first reference to said first node, wherein said first reference is a link to said first node.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein said information hierarchy includes a first reference to said first node, wherein said first reference is a second node that is an exact copy of said first node.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein said information hierarchy includes a first reference to said first node, wherein said first reference is a second node that includes essentially the same content as said first node.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said second node includes at least a portion of said first node.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein said first and second nodes are files, and wherein said second node is a different version of said first node.

52. A method for providing an computer-based interface to a user, the method comprising:

providing, via said interface, a representation of a plurality of nodes within an information hierarchy stored on a first computer system;

receiving, via said interface, information indicating a first of said plurality of nodes, wherein at least a portion of said first node is referenced within at least two contexts of said information hierarchy;

responsive to said receiving, providing, via said interface, information indicative of all contexts that include nodes referencing at least a portion of said first node;

wherein said interface is usable to navigate, from said representation of said plurality of nodes, directly to representations of any of said contexts referencing at least a portion of said first node.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said representation of said plurality of nodes is a visual representation, and said method further comprising:

navigating to a selected context that includes a second node that references at least a portion of said first node, wherein said navigating is performed by providing input to said interface that selects said selected context.

54. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying a first view to a user via a graphical interface, wherein said first view includes a representation of a first node within a first context of an information hierarchy, and wherein said first view includes information indicating that at least two other contexts of said hierarchy include a reference to said first node, wherein said graphical interface is usable to navigate from said first view directly to views corresponding to each of said at least two other contexts;

receiving, via said first view, user input indicative of a second context, wherein said second context includes a first reference to said first node;

in response to said user input, displaying a second view to said user via said graphical interface, wherein said second view includes a representation of said first reference to said first node.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said first view includes an indication of the salience of the first node to each of the at least two other contexts that include a reference to said first node.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the views presented by said graphical interface are visual representations presented on at least a portion of a display device, and wherein said node is a basic unit of data within said information hierarchy, and wherein each context within said information hierarchy includes one or more nodes.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein said first reference is a second node that has essentially the same content as said first node.

58. The method of claim 54, wherein said first reference is a second node that includes at least a portion of said first node.

59. The method of claim 54, wherein said displaying is performed using a browser.

60. A method for navigating a collection of information that is stored electronically and includes a plurality of nodes, comprising:

providing, via a computer-based interface, a first view that includes a visual representation of a first node and information indicative of other nodes referencing said first node, wherein a node is a basic unit of data within said collection of information, wherein said interface is usable to navigate directly from said first view to other views that, collectively, include all other nodes that reference said first node;

receiving, via said first view of said interface, user input indicative of a second node referencing said first node;

responsive to said user input, providing, via said interface, a second view that includes a representation of said second node.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein said information indicative of other nodes referencing said first node includes links within said first view that are usable to navigate directly to said other views.

62. A method, comprising:

displaying a first view to a user of a graphical interface, wherein said first view includes a first visual object, wherein selection of said first visual object causes said graphical interface to display a second view;

receiving a first input indicative of said user selecting said first visual object;

responsive to said first input, displaying said second view to said user, wherein said second view includes a set of visual objects indicative of the two or more other views displayable by said graphical interface from which the user can navigate directly to said second view, wherein said set of visual objects includes a second visual object, wherein selection of said second visual object causes said graphical interface to display a third view, wherein said third view includes a third visual object, wherein selection of said third visual object causes said graphical interface to display said second view;

from said displayed second view, receiving a second input indicative of said user selecting said second visual object;

responsive to said second input, displaying said third view to said user.

63. A method for providing pages of a web site to a user, wherein the web site includes a child page referenced by each of three or more parent pages within the web site;

receiving a request to access said child page via one of said three or more parent pages;

providing said child page to the user;

wherein said child page includes an indication that each of said three or more parent pages references said child page, and wherein said child page is useable to directly access each of said three or more parent pages.

64. A computer-implemented method for navigating a collection of information, wherein the collection of information includes a plurality of nodes, and wherein the collection of information includes references between the plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

providing a representation of a first node included within the plurality of nodes, wherein the first node is referenced by two or more of the plurality of nodes;

providing an interface usable to navigate directly from the representation of the first node to representations of any of the two or more of the plurality of nodes referencing the first node.

65. A method for interfacing with a first data object stored on a computer, the method comprising:

displaying a representation of the first data object, wherein said first data object includes a plurality of nodes including a first node;

receiving one or more inputs indicative of said first node; and

in response to said one or more inputs, providing an indication of all other nodes within said plurality of nodes that reference said first node.

66. A computer system configured to provide an interface to an information hierarchy accessible by said computer system, wherein said information hierarchy includes a plurality of nodes, each located within a corresponding context, wherein said plurality of nodes includes a first node that is referenced by one or more nodes within each of a first plurality of contexts within said information hierarchy;

wherein said computer system is configured to provide a representation of said first node via said interface, and wherein said interface is usable to navigate directly from said representation of said first node to representations of each of said first plurality of contexts that include one or more references to said first node.

67. The computer system of claim 66, wherein said first node is an audio file, and said computer system is configured to provide said representation of said first node by playing said audio file.

68. The computer system of claim 66, wherein said representation of said first node is provided to a remote location.

69. The computer system of claim 66, wherein said representation of said first node is provided to a software agent.

70. A computer system configured to provide an interface to a collection of information, said computer system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing program instructions executable by the one or more processors to;

provide a first visual representation to a user, wherein said first visual representation includes a representation of said first node, wherein said first node is one of a plurality of nodes within said collection of information, wherein said collection of information also includes a plurality of contexts, each of which includes one or more of said plurality of nodes, wherein said first node is within a first context and is referenced within at least two others contexts of said collection of information, wherein said computer system is configured to provide said user access to navigate within said interface directly from said first visual representation to visual representations corresponding to each of said at least two other contexts;

receive input indicative of a selected one of said at least two other contexts;

responsive to said input, provide a second visual representation to said user, wherein said second visual representation corresponds to said selected other context, thus allowing the user to navigate directly from said first visual representation to said second visual representation.

71. The computer system of claim 70, wherein said first and second visual representations are provided by a web browser.

72. The computer system of claim 70, wherein said first and second visual representations are provided via the Internet.

73. The computer system of claim 70, wherein said collection of information is a file system, and wherein one or more of said plurality of nodes are files, and wherein one or more of said plurality of contexts are directories.

74. The computer system of claim 70, wherein said collection of information includes a first reference to said first node, wherein said first reference is a second node that is an exact copy of said first node.

75. The computer system of claim 70, wherein said collection of information includes a first reference to said first node, wherein said first reference is a second node that includes essentially the same content as first node.

76. The computer system of claim 75, wherein said first and second nodes are files, and wherein said first and second nodes are versions of the same word processing document, differing only in their formatting information.

77. The computer system of claim 70, wherein said collection of information includes a first reference to said first node, wherein said first reference is a second node that includes a copyright signature of said first node.

78. A computer system configured to provide an interface for navigating within a computer-accessible information hierarchy, wherein said information hierarchy includes a plurality of nodes and references between nodes;

wherein said computer system is configured to receive, via said interface, input selecting a first node within said information hierarchy, wherein said information hierarchy includes two or more nodes that reference said first node;

and wherein, responsive to said input, said computer system is configured to provide a first representation that identifies all references in said information hierarchy to said first node.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein said computer system is configured to display said first representation via a browser.

80. The system of claim 78, wherein said computer system is configured to provide said first representation to a software agent.

81. The system of claim 78, wherein said information hierarchy includes a plurality of contexts, wherein each of said plurality of contexts includes one or more of said plurality of nodes, wherein said first representation identifies all contexts within said information hierarchy that include one or more nodes that reference said first node.

82. The system of claim 78, wherein said first representation identifies all nodes within said information hierarchy that reference said first node.

83. The system of claim 78, wherein said interface is usable to navigate from said first representation directly to representations that, collectively, include all nodes in said information hierarchy that reference said first node.

84. A computer system configured to provide an interface for navigating a collection of information that includes a plurality of nodes, said computer system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing program instructions executable by said one or more processors to;

provide a first visual representation to a user, wherein said first visual representation includes a representation of a first node and a representation of the other nodes, including a second node, in said collection of information that reference said first node, wherein a node is a basic unit of data within said collection of information;

receive user input indicative of said second node;

responsive to said user input, provide a second visual representation that includes a representation of said second node;

wherein said computer system is configured to provide said interface such that said user is able to navigate directly from a visual representation that includes a given node to a visual representation that includes a selected one of the nodes that reference said given node.

85. A computer-readable medium storing program instructions that are computer-executable to:

provide a first visual representation to a user, wherein said first visual representation includes a representation of said first node, wherein said first node is one of a plurality of nodes within a computer-accessible collection of information, wherein said collection of information also includes a plurality of contexts, each of which includes one or more of said plurality of nodes, wherein said first node is within a first context and is referenced within at least two others contexts of said collection of information, wherein said computer system is configured to provide said user access to navigate directly from said first visual representation to visual representations corresponding to each of said at least two other contexts;

receive input indicative of a selected one of said at least two other contexts;

responsive to said input, provide a second visual representation corresponding to said selected other context, thus allowing the user to navigate directly from said first visual representation to said second visual representation.

86. A computer-readable medium storing program instructions that are computer-executable to:

receive, via a computer-based interface, input selecting a first node within a computer-accessible information hierarchy including a plurality of nodes;

responsive to said input, provide a first representation that identifies all references in said information hierarchy to said first node.

87. The computer-readable medium of claim 86, wherein said information hierarchy includes a plurality of contexts, wherein each of said plurality of contexts includes one or more of said plurality of nodes, wherein said first representation identifies all contexts within said information hierarchy that include nodes that reference said first node.

88. The computer-readable medium of claim 86, wherein said first representation identifies all nodes within said information hierarchy that reference said first node.

89. The computer-readable medium of claim 86, wherein said interface is usable to navigate from said first representation directly to representations that, collectively, include all nodes in said information hierarchy that reference said first node.

90. The computer-readable medium of claim 86, wherein said program instructions are computer-executable to display said first representation.

91. The computer-readable medium of claim 86, wherein said program instructions are computer-executable to provide said first representation to a software agent.

92. A computer-readable medium storing program instructions for providing an interface to navigate within a computer-accessible collection of information that includes a plurality of nodes, wherein said program instructions are computer-executable to:

provide a first visual representation to a user, wherein said first visual representation includes a representation of said first node and a representation of the other nodes, including a second node, in said collection of information that reference said first node, wherein a node is a basic unit of data within said collection of information;

receive user input indicative of said second node;

responsive to said user input, provide a second visual representation that includes a representation of said second node;

wherein said interface is usable to navigate directly from a visual representation that includes a given node to a visual representation that includes a selected one of the nodes that reference said given node.