System and method for managing semantic network display

• US 5,905,498 A
• Filed: 12/24/1996
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Correlate Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Diament, Theodore M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US08/772,801
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 345/356, 345/334, 345/335, 345/333, 345/353, 345/346, 345/348, 345/968, 345/440, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104, 707/101
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/367 Ontology
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Computer software and a user interface for information management are provided in which semantic networks may be entered and analyzed. The user interface for entry of the semantic network uses a windows environment to enter the nodes and the arcs connecting the nodes. Arcs may serve as sources or destinations for other arcs. The software includes a first data structure relating to the structure of the semantic network and a second data structure relating to the display of the semantic network. Additional data structures may be used to show the semantic network in group, table, and other forms. Two illustrative applications are described for Internet Management and Resource Management.

Claims

1. A computer system for information management, comprising:

an input device for entering a semantic network, said semantic network comprising labeled parent nodes, arc nodes, and destination nodes, each of said arc nodes connecting a parent node and a destination node;

an output device for displaying said semantic network in a basic form and in a group form, wherein said basic form comprises said parent nodes, arc nodes, and destination nodes, and wherein said group form comprises group arc nodes and other group nodes, said group arc nodes comprising those arc nodes having identical labels and identical parents, and said other group nodes comprising said parent nodes, arc nodes, and destination nodes other than said group arc nodes and said arc nodes comprising said group arc nodes;

a processing unit for identifying said group arc nodes and said other group nodes and for creating a data structure representing said semantic network in said basic form and said group form;

a memory unit for storing said data structure.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein at least one parent node or destination node is an arc node.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said semantic network comprises Internet data.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said semantic network comprises computer resource data.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein a destination of at least one group arc node is selected from the group consisting of a list box, a chart, and a graph.

6. A method of managing information on a general-purpose computer system, comprising:

storing an executable information management program in a memory of said computer; and

executing said executable information management program, comprising the steps of;

inputting a semantic network using an input device, said semantic network comprising labeled parent nodes, arc nodes and destination nodes, each of said arc nodes connecting a parent node and a destination node;

storing said semantic network in said memory of said computer in a basic form and in a group form, said basic form comprising said parent nodes, arc nodes and destination nodes, and said group form comprising group arc nodes and other group nodes, said group arc nodes comprising those arc nodes having identical labels and identical parents, and said other group nodes comprising said parent nodes, arc nodes and destination nodes other than said group arc nodes and said arc nodes comprising said group arc nodes; and

displaying said semantic network stored in said memory on an output device, wherein said semantic network may be displayed in said basic form and in said group form.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one parent node or destination node is an arc node.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said semantic network comprises Internet data.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said semantic network comprises computer resource data.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein a destination of at least one group arc node is selected from the group consisting of a list box, a chart, and a graph.