Methods for generating visual data from nodes containing identity data for persons from a set point of view

• US 9,530,227 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Nevin, Rocky Harry W. III
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, SHEW FEN
• Application Number:
  US13/397,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20120162230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Computer implemented methods for constructing dynamic relationships between data for presentation on a display are provided. The data is obtained from one or more data sources and managed as a plurality of nodes. The nodes increase or decrease in number over time. One method includes setting a point of view from one of the nodes of the plurality of nodes, and the setting of the point of view acting to order certain ones of the plurality of nodes to produce a representation from the point of view. The method generates visual data that illustrates the representation of the plurality of nodes from the set point of view and provides the visual data for rendering on a display of a device. Certain ones of the nodes contain unique identity data for individuals, and the nodes are associated with other nodes based on relationships between the individuals.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing values from data of a relational database in one or more data nodes in a plurality of nodes;

storing code for an application in an application node of the plurality of nodes;

creating a plurality of links to connect one or more of the plurality of nodes to one or more other nodes in the plurality of nodes, each link being associated with a connection strength between a respective pair of nodes, wherein creating the plurality of links comprises defining links for the plurality of links using keys from the relational database;

setting a point of view from a specified node from the plurality of nodes in response to a query that identifies a selection of the specified node, the setting of the point of view associating a subset of nodes of the plurality of nodes to the specified node, the subset of nodes comprising one or more data nodes and the application node;

creating an order for the subset of nodes based on connection strengths of links that are associated with the subset of nodes;

generating a visualized hierarchical network of linked nodes that illustrates a representation of the order for one or more of the subset of nodes from the set point of view;

receiving a command to invoke the application node, the application node being linked to a particular node in the subset of nodes, the command comprising a search parameter;

responsive to the command to invoke the application node, searching a neighborhood of nodes within the particular node by the application for application-specific data requirements based on the search parameter in the command, values in the data nodes in the subset of nodes, and types of the subset of nodes to generate a search result; and

providing an updated visualized hierarchical network of updated linked nodes in a virtual reality mode for rendering on a display of a device to present the search result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each link contains a description describing a source node corresponding to the link and type information describing a type for the source node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the plurality of links comprises:

applying natural language processing to the values stored in the data nodes to capture semantic meaning from the values.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection strength between a respective pair of nodes is set to an initial default value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the connection strength of one or more links based on user input specifying the command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the values stored in the data nodes corresponds to one or more of information in data fields of the relational database, relationship information associated with the data fields, instance field definitions from the relational database, semantic meanings found in the relational database, programming code, or programming data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing code for a plurality of applications in a plurality of application nodes in the plurality of nodes;

detecting a plurality of events related to a user interacting with a plurality of different instances of one or more of the plurality of applications;

for each of the plurality of events, extracting data from one or more communications associated with a respective event;

creating a plurality of data nodes for the plurality of events, each data node comprising the data for the respective event and a time of the respective event;

identifying the point of view from one of the plurality of data nodes, the identifying of the point of view ordering a subset of the plurality of data nodes that are related to the point of view based on times of events corresponding to the subset of the plurality of data nodes;

generating visual data that illustrates a representation of the order of the subset of the plurality of data nodes from the point of view, the representation comprising a timeline and the subset of data nodes associated with the timeline based on times for the respective events; and

providing the visual data for rendering the representation on the display of the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the application comprises at least one of an electronic mail application, a web browser, word processing application, a spreadsheet application, or a notes application.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing the application using the virtual reality mode, wherein each of the data nodes store a vector describing a position of the respective data node.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

storing values from data of a relational database in one or more data nodes in a plurality of nodes;

storing code for an application in an application node of the plurality of nodes;

creating a plurality of links to connect one or more of the plurality of nodes to one or more other nodes in the plurality of nodes, each link being associated with a connection strength between a respective pair of nodes, wherein creating the plurality of links comprises defining links for the plurality of links using keys from the relational database;

setting a point of view from a specified node from the plurality of nodes in response to a query that identifies a selection of the specified node, the setting of the point of view associating a subset of nodes of the plurality of nodes to the specified node, the subset of nodes comprising one or more data nodes and the application node;

creating an order for the subset of nodes based on connections strengths of links that are associated with the subset of nodes;

generating a visualized hierarchical network of linked nodes that illustrates a representation of the order for one or more of the subset of nodes from the set point of view;

receiving a command to invoke the application node, the application node being linked to a particular node in the subset of nodes, the command comprising a search parameter;

responsive to the command to invoke the application node, searching the neighborhood of nodes within the particular node by the application for application-specific data requirements based on the search parameter in the command, values in the data nodes in the subset of nodes, and types of the subset of nodes to generate a search result; and

providing an updated visualized hierarchical network of updated linked nodes in a virtual reality mode for rendering on a display of a device to present the search result.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein each link contains at least one of a description describing a source node corresponding to the link and type information describing a type for the source node or a description comprising semantic information describing a relationship between two nodes defined by the link.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein creating the plurality of links comprises at least one of:

applying natural language processing to the values stored in the data nodes to capture semantic meaning from the values.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the values stored in the data nodes corresponds to one or more of information in data fields of the relational database, relationship information associated with the data fields, instance field definitions from the relational database, semantic meanings found in the relational database, programming code, or programming data.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

adjusting the connection strength of one or more links based on user input specifying the command.

15. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory to;

store values from data of a relational database in one or more data nodes in a plurality of nodes;

store code for an application in an application node of the plurality of nodes;

create a plurality of links to connect one or more of the plurality of nodes to one or more other nodes in the plurality of nodes, each link being associated with a connection strength between a respective pair of nodes, wherein to create the plurality of links the processor is to define links for the plurality of links using keys from the relational database;

set a point of view from a specified node from the plurality of nodes in response to a query that identifies a selection of the specified node, the setting of the point of view associating a subset of nodes to the specified node, the subset of nodes of the plurality of nodes comprising one or more data nodes and the application node;

create an order for one or more of the subset of nodes based on connection strengths of links that are associated with the subset of nodes;

generate a visualized hierarchical network of linked nodes that illustrates a representation of the order for the subset of nodes from the set point of view;

receive a command to invoke the application node, the application node being linked to a particular node in the subset of nodes, the command comprising a search parameter;

responsive to the command to invoke the application node, search the neighborhood of nodes within the particular node by the application for application-specific data requirements based on the search parameter in the command, values in the data nodes in the subset of nodes, and types of the subset of nodes to generate a search result; and

provide an updated visualized hierarchical network of updated linked nodes in a virtual reality mode for rendering on a display of a device to present the search result.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each link contains a description describing a source node corresponding to the link and type information describing a type for the source node.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor to create the plurality of links comprises:

applying natural language processing to the values stored in the data nodes to capture semantic meaning from the values.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the connection strength between a respective pair of nodes is set to an initial default value.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further to:

adjust the connection strength of one or more links based on user input specifying the command.