System and method for navigating a dynamic collection of information

• US 7,996,788 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patential Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Apparel Group, LLC
• Inventors: Carmichael, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tuyetlien T
• Application Number:
  US11/436,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: 715/854, 715/853, 715/834
• US Class Current: 715/834
• 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

Abstract

A graphical user interface is provided that permits the navigation of dynamic collections of information. A simplified presentation allows navigation between multiple levels of information content. Navigating through the various levels of the collection of information causes the information to be recursively presented in a hierarchical fashion. Furthermore, the information content may be dynamic in nature such that changes to the information content or its structure is reflected in the hierarchical presentation. The present invention may be used to navigate collections of information including web sites, computer file systems, databases, and other hierarchical systems.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

presenting an information hierarchy of information content on a main display to a user, said information hierarchy including a set of selectable top-level elements, and a dynamically-varying set of selectable mid-level elements, wherein said presenting comprises dynamically creating the dynamically-varying set of selectable mid-level elements based on a selection of one of said top level elements, said dynamically creating creates and presents a first set of mid-level elements responsive to selection of a first top level element, and presents and creates a second set of mid level elements responsive to selection of a second top level element;

on a computer, receiving a selection of one of said top-level elements;

responsive to said selection of said one of said top level elements, said computer using a database of information to obtain new information and changing the set of said dynamically-varying mid-level elements that are displayed based on said using database;

said computer enabling selection of any of the displayed mid-level elements as a selected element, and presenting all of text, graphics, and audio in combination to represent a content associated with said selected element, said text, graphics and audio being indicative of content associated with said a selected element, where said content is separately requested from said selection, wherein said text, graphics, and audio that is presented is different for each of a plurality of said dynamically-varying mid level elements, and where said text, graphics and audio is different than said content when requested, but said text, graphics and audio are related to the content for a selection,

changing records in the database of information to change said all of said text, graphics, and audio which are presented to indicate a particular element so that said all of text, graphics, and audio that is presented is first all of text, graphics, and audio at a first time, and second different all of text, graphics, and audio at a second time;

wherein said top-level elements, said mid-level elements and a displaying element are concentrically arranged with each element surrounding an inner element, wherein said top-level elements form an outer ring, said mid-level elements form a middle ring, and said selection display forms a center ring and displaying an additional ring outside said outer ring with text thereon; and

wherein said information content includes all of files and databases and webpages.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said presenting information displays at least one static image.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said receiving a selection comprises selecting with a personal digital assistant wand.

4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising storing a table representing a relationship between a specific selected top-level element, and those of said mid-level elements associated with said specific selected top-level element.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein said changing the set of said mid-level elements comprises using the table to determine which of the mid-level elements are displayed based on the top-level element that is displayed.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said using the table comprises using the table to determine a graphic part associated with the elements.

7. A computer with a user interface, comprising:

a display, having a display part which displays information;

a processor, producing a user interface display and coupling said user interface display to said display, and which accepts an actuation of an item in said user interface display, and selects an object based on said actuation, and wherein said user interface display produced by said processor includes a first portion of top-level elements, each of which represent a first level view of multimedia items that can be viewed, and a second portion of mid-level elements each of which mid level elements represent a second level view of multimedia items that can be viewed, wherein said mid-level elements that are displayed is based on which of the top-level elements is selected so that a first set of mid-level elements is shown for a first top level element, and a second set of mid level elements is shown for a second top level element, and wherein said mid-level elements are dynamically created at a time when said top-level element is selected, and wherein selecting a mid level element provides a first view of said multimedia items, said first view includes all of text, graphics and audio in combination to represent a multimedia item prior to the user requesting content indicated by said multimedia item, and wherein said user interface display further includes a selection display portion that produces an output based on requesting at least one of said top-level elements or at least one of said mid-level elements, and where said processor controls said selection display portion to display at least one item indicative of multimedia associated with a selected element responsive to requesting content indicative of the selected element, and said at least one item of multimedia information is different than the text, graphics and audio that represents said selection, and is different for each selected element, and is based on the selection of the selected element;

wherein said user interface display includes first, second and third concentric rings of display elements, wherein said first ring include said top-level elements, said second ring includes said mid-level elements, and said third ring includes said selection display portion, wherein said top-level element forms an outer ring, said mid-level element forms a mid ring, and said display element forms a center ring;

said user interface display further includes an additional ring displayed outside said outer ring with text thereon, and

wherein said content includes all of files and databases and webpages.

8. A computer as in claim 7, further comprising a memory storing a table which includes information indicative of a hierarchy of said user interface, wherein said table includes information indicative of plural mid-level elements that are associated with each of said top-level elements;

and at least one graphic element that is associated with at least one other element.