US6233571B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for indexing, searching and displaying data
Assignee: Software Rights Archive LLC
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Filing: 1998-05-04
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Granted: 2001-05-15
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Expires: 2018-05-04
Abstract
Abstract A computer research tool for indexing, searching and displaying data is disclosed. Specifically, a computer research tool for performing computerized research of data including textual objects in a database or a network and for providing a user interface that significantly enhances data presentation is described. Textual objects and other data in a database or network is indexed by creating a numerical representation of the data. The indexing technique called proximity indexing generates a quick-reference of the relations, patterns and similarity found among the data in the database. Proximity indexing indexes the data by using statistical techniques and empirically developed algorithms. Using this proximity index, an efficient search for pools of data having a particular relation, pattern or characteristic can be effectuated. The Computer Search program, called the Computer Search Program for Data represented in Matrices (CSPDM), provides efficient computer search methods. The CSPDM rank orders data in accordance with the data's relationship to time, a paradigm datum, or any similar reference. An alternative embodiment of the invention employs a cluster link generation algorithm which uses links and nodes to index and search a database or network. The algorithm searches for direct and indirect links to a search node and retrieves the nodes which are most closely related to the search node. The user interface program, called the Graphical User Interface (GUI), provides a user friendly method of interacting with the CSPDM program and prepares and presents a visual graphical display. The graphical display provides the user with a two or three dimensional spatial orientation of the data.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel Egger
- 👤 Shawn Cannon
- 👤 Ronald D. Sauers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 23:50
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/24; G06F16/248; G06F16/22; G06F16/2228; G06F16/245; G06F16/2457; G06F16/30; G06F16/35; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/951; G06F16/953; G06F16/9532; G06F16/9538; G06F16/955; G06F16/9558; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
A method for using active links within the data of an object stored in a database of a computer so that a user may jump from viewing the data of the object in the database to a position outside the object in the database and outside the computer, comprising: storing one or more links within data of the object in the database to positions outside of the computer, wherein the stored links are active links; displaying the data of the object within the database, wherein one or more active links are displayed with the data from the object in the database, wherein positions are nodes in a network that may be accessed, the active links including hyperjump links between nodes in the network and the objects, and the step of displaying comprises: generating a source map, wherein the source map represents hyperjump links that identify a chosen node as a destination of a link, and wherein the method further comprises activating a link represented on the source map, wherein a user may hyperjump to a node represented as a node of the link; selecting one of the displayed active links from those displayed with the displayed data; and jumping to the position outside the object in the database.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
208 words
A method for using active links within the data of an object stored in a database of a computer so that a user may jump from viewing the data of the object in the database to a position outside the object in the database and outside the computer, comprising: storing one or more links within data of the object in the database to positions outside of the computer, wherein the stored links are active links; displaying the data of the object within the database, wherein one or more active links are displayed with the data from the object in the database, wherein positions are nodes in a network that may be accessed, the active links including hyperjump links between nodes in the network and the objects, and the step of displaying comprises: generating a source map, wherein the source map represents hyperjump links that identify a chosen node as a destination of a link, and wherein the method further comprises activating a link represented on the source map, wherein a user may hyperjump to a node represented as a node of the link; selecting one of the displayed active links from those displayed with the displayed data; and jumping to the position outside the object in the database.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the active links are embedded icons and wherein the step of selecting comprises activating an embedded icon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the active links are embedded text and wherein the step of selecting comprises activating the embedded text.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein computer software is used, further comprising: generating an active link, wherein the active link can be used to jump from a location in the database to another database.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for displaying information about a network that has hyperjump data, comprising: choosing a node; accessing the hyperjump data; identifying hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has a direct reference to the chosen node; determining hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has an indirect reference to the chosen node using the identified hyperjump data, wherein the step of determining comprises proximity analyzing the identified hyperjump data; and displaying one or more determined hyperjump data.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for displaying information about a network that has hyperjump data, comprising: choosing a node; accessing the hyperjump data; identifying hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has a direct reference to the chosen node; determining hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has an indirect reference to the chosen node using the identified hyperjump data, wherein the step of determining comprises proximity analyzing the identified hyperjump data; and displaying one or more determined hyperjump data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the hyperjump data includes pointers and wherein the direct reference is a pointer pointing to the chosen node or from the chosen node, and the step of determining comprises analyzing the pointers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the node represents a topic, the determined hyperjump data has a relationship to the topic, and the step of displaying displays determined hyperjump data that has a relationship to the topic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the node is a web page in the network, the accessed hypejump data are Universal Resource Locators of linked pages, and the step of determining hyperjump data comprises analyzing the identified hyperjump data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the node is a document in the network and the determined hyperjump data has a relationship to the document, the step of displaying comprising the step of listing the hyperjump data that has a relationship to the document.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of displaying comprises generating a graphical user display, and wherein information is displayed on a graphical display visually representing more than one coordinate plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
95 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the nodes are nodes in the network that may be accessed, the hyperjump data includes hyperjump links between nodes in the network, and the step of displaying comprises: generating a source map using one or more of the determined hyperjump data, wherein the source map represents hyperjump links that identify the chosen node as a destination of a link; and wherein the method further comprises activating a link represented on the source map, wherein a user may hyperjump to a node represented as a node of the link.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for visually displaying data related to a web having identifiable web pages and Universal Resource Locators with pointers, comprising: choosing an identifiable web page; identifying Universal Resource Locators for the web pages, wherein the identified Universal Resource Locators either point to or point away from the chosen web page; analyzing Universal Resource Locators, including the identified Universal Resource Locators, wherein Universal Resource Locators which have an indirect relationship to the chosen web page are located, wherein the step of analyzing further comprises cluster analyzing the Universal Resource Locators for indirect relationships; and displaying identities of web pages, wherein the located Universal Resource Locators are used to identify web pages.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for visually displaying data related to a web having identifiable web pages and Universal Resource Locators with pointers, comprising: choosing an identifiable web page; identifying Universal Resource Locators for the web pages, wherein the identified Universal Resource Locators either point to or point away from the chosen web page; analyzing Universal Resource Locators, including the identified Universal Resource Locators, wherein Universal Resource Locators which have an indirect relationship to the chosen web page are located, wherein the step of analyzing further comprises cluster analyzing the Universal Resource Locators for indirect relationships; and displaying identities of web pages, wherein the located Universal Resource Locators are used to identify web pages.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising selecting a web page using the displayed identities of web pages.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising hyperjumping to the selected web page.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of displaying the identities of web pages comprises generating a graphical user display wherein information within the Universal Resource Locators is parsed and used to generate the graphical user display.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for navigating documents on the world wide web, comprising: choosing a document; identifying documents that have a direct relationship to the chosen document; locating documents that have an indirect relationship to the chosen document identifying Universal Resource Locators for the documents, wherein the identified Universal Resource Locators either point to or point away from the chosen document; analyzing Universal Resource Locators, including the identified Universal Resource Locators, wherein Universal Resource Locators which have an indirect relationship to the chosen document are located, wherein the step of analyzing further comprises cluster analyzing the Universal Resource Locators for indirect relationships; and displaying a located document.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for navigating documents on the world wide web, comprising: choosing a document; identifying documents that have a direct relationship to the chosen document; locating documents that have an indirect relationship to the chosen document identifying Universal Resource Locators for the documents, wherein the identified Universal Resource Locators either point to or point away from the chosen document; analyzing Universal Resource Locators, including the identified Universal Resource Locators, wherein Universal Resource Locators which have an indirect relationship to the chosen document are located, wherein the step of analyzing further comprises cluster analyzing the Universal Resource Locators for indirect relationships; and displaying a located document.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein pages and their respective Universal Resource Locators are used and the step of locating documents comprises analyzing the pages and their respective Universal Resource Locators.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of analyzing pages comprises cluster analyzing the pages.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of displaying a located document comprises: generating a screen display of identities of one or more located documents; and selecting one or more of the located documents.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of generating a screen display comprises generating a graphical display.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
80 words
A method for displaying information about a network that has hyperjump data, comprising: choosing a node; accessing the hyperjump data; identifying hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has a direct reference to the chosen node; determining hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has an indirect reference to the chosen node using the identified hyperjump data, wherein the step of determining comprises cluster analyzing the hyperjump data; and displaying one or more determined hyperjump data.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
80 words
A method for displaying information about a network that has hyperjump data, comprising: choosing a node; accessing the hyperjump data; identifying hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has a direct reference to the chosen node; determining hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has an indirect reference to the chosen node using the identified hyperjump data, wherein the step of determining comprises cluster analyzing the hyperjump data; and displaying one or more determined hyperjump data.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
158 words
A method for displaying information about a network that has hyperjump data, comprising: choosing a node; accessing the hyperjump data; identifying hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has a direct reference to the chosen node; determining hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has an indirect reference to the chosen node using the identified hyperjump data; and displaying one or more determined hyperjump data, wherein the nodes are nodes in the network that may be accessed, the hypejump data includes hyperjump links between nodes in the network, and the step of displaying comprises: generating a source map using one or more of the determined hyperjump data, wherein the source map represents hyperjump links that identify the chosen node as a destination of a link, and wherein the method further comprises activating a link represented on the source map, wherein a user may hyperjump to a node represented as a node of the link.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
158 words
A method for displaying information about a network that has hyperjump data, comprising: choosing a node; accessing the hyperjump data; identifying hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has a direct reference to the chosen node; determining hyperjump data from within the accessed hyperjump data that has an indirect reference to the chosen node using the identified hyperjump data; and displaying one or more determined hyperjump data, wherein the nodes are nodes in the network that may be accessed, the hypejump data includes hyperjump links between nodes in the network, and the step of displaying comprises: generating a source map using one or more of the determined hyperjump data, wherein the source map represents hyperjump links that identify the chosen node as a destination of a link, and wherein the method further comprises activating a link represented on the source map, wherein a user may hyperjump to a node represented as a node of the link.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-14 | 2004-11-13 | 2005-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-14 | 2008-11-13 | 2009-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-14 | 2012-11-13 | 2013-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |