US6460033B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Browsing methods, articles and apparatus
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 2000-03-23
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Granted: 2002-10-01
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Expires: 2020-03-23
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of items are browsed using a non-unary tree which relates the plurality of items and a browsing sequence. A signal is outputted to display content associated with a current item in the browsing sequence. In response to receiving a selection of one of a first control and a second control, all items which are tree-descendants of the current item are removed from the browsing sequence if the first control has been selected and the current item is an internal item of the tree. Further in response to receiving the selection, a signal is outputted to display content associated with an item subsequent to the current item in the browsing sequence if the current item is a non-final item in the browsing sequence.
Inventors
- 👤 Cary D. Perttunen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 03:51
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/957; G06F16/951; G06F16/30; G06F16/34; G06F16/904; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99936; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of browsing a plurality of items, the method comprising: (a) providing a tree which relates the plurality of items, the tree being non-unary and having a height of at least two; (b) providing a browsing sequence for the plurality of items; (c) outputting a signal to display content associated with a current item in the browsing sequence; (d) receiving a selection of one of a first control and a second control; (e) based on said receiving: (e1) if the first control has been selected and the current item is an internal item of the tree, removing all items from the browsing sequence which are tree-descendants of the current item; and (e2) if the current item is a non-final item in the browsing sequence, outputting a signal to display content associated with an item subsequent to the current item in the browsing sequence; and (f) repeating (d) and (e) with the subsequent item being considered as the current item.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of browsing a plurality of items, the method comprising: (a) providing a tree which relates the plurality of items, the tree being non-unary and having a height of at least two; (b) providing a browsing sequence for the plurality of items; (c) outputting a signal to display content associated with a current item in the browsing sequence; (d) receiving a selection of one of a first control and a second control; (e) based on said receiving: (e1) if the first control has been selected and the current item is an internal item of the tree, removing all items from the browsing sequence which are tree-descendants of the current item; and (e2) if the current item is a non-final item in the browsing sequence, outputting a signal to display content associated with an item subsequent to the current item in the browsing sequence; and (f) repeating (d) and (e) with the subsequent item being considered as the current item.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a first plurality of similarity values between a search expression and the plurality of items, wherein said providing the browsing sequence comprises sorting the plurality of items according to the first plurality of similarity values to form the browsing sequence.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising determining a second plurality of similarity values between a corresponding plurality of pairs of the items, wherein said providing a tree comprises determining an optimum path tree based upon the first plurality of similarity values and the second plurality of similarity values, the optimum path tree indicating a respective optimum path between the search expression and each of the plurality of items.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising determining a second plurality of similarity values between a corresponding plurality of pairs of the items, wherein said providing a tree comprises determining an optimum spanning tree based on the first plurality of similarity values and the second plurality of similarity values.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the browsing sequence comprises a depth-first search sequence of the tree.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the browsing sequence comprises a breadth-first search sequence of the tree.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
158 words
A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer to: (a) provide a tree which relates a plurality of items, the tree being non-unary and having a height of at least two; (b) provide a browsing sequence for the plurality of items; (c) output a signal to display content associated with a current item in the browsing sequence; (d) receive a selection of one of a first control and a second control; (e) based on the selection: (e1) if the first control has been selected and the current item is an internal item of the tree, remove all items from the browsing sequence which are tree-descendants of the current item; and (e2) if the current item is a non-final item in the browsing sequence, output a signal to display content associated with an item subsequent to the current item in the browsing sequence; and (f) repeat (d) and (e) with the subsequent item being considered as the current item.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
158 words
A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer to: (a) provide a tree which relates a plurality of items, the tree being non-unary and having a height of at least two; (b) provide a browsing sequence for the plurality of items; (c) output a signal to display content associated with a current item in the browsing sequence; (d) receive a selection of one of a first control and a second control; (e) based on the selection: (e1) if the first control has been selected and the current item is an internal item of the tree, remove all items from the browsing sequence which are tree-descendants of the current item; and (e2) if the current item is a non-final item in the browsing sequence, output a signal to display content associated with an item subsequent to the current item in the browsing sequence; and (f) repeat (d) and (e) with the subsequent item being considered as the current item.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 7 wherein the contents further cause the computer to determine a first plurality of similarity values between a search expression and the plurality of items, and to sort the plurality of items according to the first plurality of similarity values to provide the browsing sequence.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
76 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the contents further cause the computer to determine a second plurality of similarity values between a corresponding plurality of pairs of the items, and to provide the tree by determining an optimum path tree based upon the first plurality of similarity values and the second plurality of similarity values, the optimum path tree indicating a respective optimum path between the search expression and each of the plurality of items.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the contents further cause the computer to determine a second plurality of similarity values between a corresponding plurality of pairs of the items, and to provide the tree by determining an optimum spanning tree based on the first plurality of similarity values and the second plurality of similarity values.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 7 wherein the browsing sequence comprises a depth-first search sequence of the tree.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 7 wherein the browsing sequence comprises a breadth-first search sequence of the tree.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus for browsing a plurality of items, the apparatus comprising: a computer programmed to: (a) provide a tree which relates the plurality of items, the tree being non-unary and having a height of at least two; (b) provide a browsing sequence for the plurality of items; (c) output a signal to display content associated with a current item in the browsing sequence; (d) receive a selection of one of a first control and a second control; (e) based on the selection: (e1) if the first control has been selected and the current item is an internal item of the tree, remove all items from the browsing sequence which are tree-descendants of the current item; and (e2) if the current item is a non-final item in the browsing sequence, output a signal to display content associated with an item subsequent to the current item in the browsing sequence; and (f) repeat (d) and (e) with the subsequent item being considered as the current item.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus for browsing a plurality of items, the apparatus comprising: a computer programmed to: (a) provide a tree which relates the plurality of items, the tree being non-unary and having a height of at least two; (b) provide a browsing sequence for the plurality of items; (c) output a signal to display content associated with a current item in the browsing sequence; (d) receive a selection of one of a first control and a second control; (e) based on the selection: (e1) if the first control has been selected and the current item is an internal item of the tree, remove all items from the browsing sequence which are tree-descendants of the current item; and (e2) if the current item is a non-final item in the browsing sequence, output a signal to display content associated with an item subsequent to the current item in the browsing sequence; and (f) repeat (d) and (e) with the subsequent item being considered as the current item.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the computer is further to determine a first plurality of similarity values between a search expression and the plurality of items, and to sort the plurality of items according to the first plurality of similarity values to provide the browsing sequence.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
73 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the computer is further to determine a second plurality of similarity values between a corresponding plurality of pairs of the items, and to provide the tree by determining an optimum path tree based upon the first plurality of similarity values and the second plurality of similarity values, the optimum path tree indicating a respective optimum path between the search expression and each of the plurality of items.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the computer is further to determine a second plurality of similarity values between a corresponding plurality of pairs of the items, and to provide the tree by determining an optimum spanning tree based on the first plurality of similarity values and the second plurality of similarity values.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the browsing sequence comprises a depth-first search sequence of the tree.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the browsing sequence comprises a breadth-first search sequence of the tree.
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-09-30 | 2006-04-01 | 2006-10-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-09-30 | 2010-04-01 | 2010-10-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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