Patent US6359319B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6505194B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6505194B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Search user interface with enhanced accessibility and ease-of-use features based on visual metaphors
Assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
•
Filing: 2000-03-29
•
Granted: 2003-01-07
•
Expires: 2020-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A user interface for querying and displaying records from a database employs a physical metaphor for the process of constructing queries and viewing results. In one embodiment, the search criteria are displayed as strings of beads in a three-dimensional scene, each bead representing a criterion and each string representing a different category. For example the criteria, drama, action, suspense, and horror may be included in a category of genre. Criteria are selected to form a query by moving corresponding beads to a query string. In general, a three-dimensional scene is constructed in which objects may be manipulated to change their physical relationships to other objects in the scene. These changes may indicate changes in a current query being defined or edited, a current profile being defined or edited, a goodness of fit of results to a given search, etc. The three-dimensional nature of the scene is asymmetric to take advantage of the multiple dimensions for purposes of differentiating objects in the scene such that varying positions along one dimension indicate variation with respect to a characteristic corresponding to that dimension.
Inventors
- 👤 Lira Nikolovska
- 👤 Jacquelyn A. Martino
- 👤 Alison F. Camplin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 18:51
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/70; G06F16/73; G06F16/732; G06F16/90; G06F16/903; G06F16/9032; G06F16/90324; G06F16/90328; G06F16/9038; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/912; Y10S707/913; Y10S707/914; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A database searching device, comprising: a controller with a display, an input device, and connectable to a database containing searchable records; said controller being programmed to display symbols representing control criteria to be selectively incorporated in a search query; said criteria symbols being grouped into categories; each of said criteria in at least one of said categories having a ranking according to a parameter; said controller being programmed to generate a search scene having more than two axes; said controller being programmed to display said criteria in a distribution of said symbols along a first of said more than two axes according to one of said categories and said ranking; said controller being programmed to display said criteria in a distribution of said symbols along a second of said more than two axes according to the other of said categories and said ranking; said controller being programmed to accept commands to include selected ones of said criteria in a search query.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A database searching device, comprising: a controller with a display, an input device, and connectable to a database containing searchable records; said controller being programmed to display symbols representing control criteria to be selectively incorporated in a search query; said criteria symbols being grouped into categories; each of said criteria in at least one of said categories having a ranking according to a parameter; said controller being programmed to generate a search scene having more than two axes; said controller being programmed to display said criteria in a distribution of said symbols along a first of said more than two axes according to one of said categories and said ranking; said controller being programmed to display said criteria in a distribution of said symbols along a second of said more than two axes according to the other of said categories and said ranking; said controller being programmed to accept commands to include selected ones of said criteria in a search query.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein said search scene is a three-dimensional search scene and said more than two axes is three axes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
88 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein said controller is programmed to represent said symbols corresponding to said criteria, other than said selected ones of said criteria, in a first region of said search scene and to represent said control criteria and said symbols corresponding to said selected ones of said criteria in a second region of said search scene, said first and second regions being displaced with respect to each other along one of said first, second, and a third of said more than two axes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as in claim 3 , wherein said first and second regions being displaced with respect to each other along said third of said more than two axes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein: said controller is programmed such that said search scene is a three-dimensional search scene; said controller is programmed to display said criteria in a distribution of said symbols along said first of said more than two axes according to said ranking; and said first axis joins a foreground of said search scene and a background of said search scene.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as in claim 5 , wherein said ranking represents a frequency of with which respective ones of said criteria were previously incorporated in queries.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as in claim 5 , wherein said database is an electronic program guide database.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
185 words
An electronic program guide user interface, comprising: a controller with a display and input device connectable to a electronic program guide database; said controller being programmed to display icons representing criteria for searching said database in a three-dimensional scene having first, second, and third axes; said controller providing for selection of said criteria for incorporation in search queries and selection of said criteria in preparation for incorporation in said search queries; said search criteria being organized into first, second and third independent groups according to frequency of incorporation in search queries, whether said criteria are currently selected for incorporation in a current search query, whether said criteria are currently selected in preparation for incorporation in said search queries, respectively; said icons representing criteria in said first group being displaced relative to criteria not in said first group along said first axis; said icons representing criteria in said second group being displaced relative to criteria not in said second group along said second axis; said icons representing criteria in said third group being displaced relative to criteria not in said third group along said third axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
185 words
An electronic program guide user interface, comprising: a controller with a display and input device connectable to a electronic program guide database; said controller being programmed to display icons representing criteria for searching said database in a three-dimensional scene having first, second, and third axes; said controller providing for selection of said criteria for incorporation in search queries and selection of said criteria in preparation for incorporation in said search queries; said search criteria being organized into first, second and third independent groups according to frequency of incorporation in search queries, whether said criteria are currently selected for incorporation in a current search query, whether said criteria are currently selected in preparation for incorporation in said search queries, respectively; said icons representing criteria in said first group being displaced relative to criteria not in said first group along said first axis; said icons representing criteria in said second group being displaced relative to criteria not in said second group along said second axis; said icons representing criteria in said third group being displaced relative to criteria not in said third group along said third axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A user interface as in claim 8 , wherein said icons have the same shape irrespective of their positions in said scene.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
76 words
A user interface, as in claim 8 , wherein: said three-dimensional scene has a foreground and a background; said third axis connects said foreground with said background; said criteria in said third group are selected in preparation for incorporation in said search query; said icons representing criteria not in said third group are at least one of: displayed at a lower contrast than, and at least partially hidden by icons representing criteria in said third group.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A user interface, as in claim 8 , wherein said icons are rendered to give the appearance of being three-dimensional objects.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
A user interface, as in claim 8 , wherein: said three-dimensional scene has a foreground and a background; said third axis connects said foreground with said background; said criteria in said third group are selected in preparation for incorporation in said search query; said icons representing criteria in said third group are rendered to give the appearance of being closer to a point of view for rendering said three-dimensional scene than said icons representing criteria not in said third group.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
185 words
A data access device, comprising: a controller with a display and an input device connectable to a database; said controller being programmed to render a three-dimensional search scene having objects; said search scene containing criteria objects among said objects, said criteria objects representing criteria that may be incorporated in a search query; said criteria being grouped into categories; said search scene having a foreground and a background; said search scene being rendered such as to aggregate said criteria objects corresponding to the same one of said categories such as to define respective structures located in respective portions of said search scene; said search scene being rendered such as to aggregate ones of said criteria for inclusion in a current search query such as to define another structure located in a respective portion of said search scene; said controller being programmed to permit a selection of a one of said criteria objects for inclusion in said current search query and to represent said selection by changing said search scene so as to move said one of said criteria from its respective structure to said another structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
185 words
A data access device, comprising: a controller with a display and an input device connectable to a database; said controller being programmed to render a three-dimensional search scene having objects; said search scene containing criteria objects among said objects, said criteria objects representing criteria that may be incorporated in a search query; said criteria being grouped into categories; said search scene having a foreground and a background; said search scene being rendered such as to aggregate said criteria objects corresponding to the same one of said categories such as to define respective structures located in respective portions of said search scene; said search scene being rendered such as to aggregate ones of said criteria for inclusion in a current search query such as to define another structure located in a respective portion of said search scene; said controller being programmed to permit a selection of a one of said criteria objects for inclusion in said current search query and to represent said selection by changing said search scene so as to move said one of said criteria from its respective structure to said another structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
157 words
A data access device, comprising: a controller with a display and an input device connectable to a database; said controller being programmed to render a search scene having objects; said search scene containing criteria objects among said objects, said criteria objects representing criteria that may be incorporated in a search query; said criteria being grouped in categories; said search scene having three dimensions; said controller being programmed to accept commands from said input device and to reorganize said objects responsively thereto; an organization of said objects representing said search query, whereby a reorganization of said objects via said commands is effective to edit said query; said organization of said objects being asymmetric such as to differentiate objects according to their respective positions along respective dimensions according to whether each object is at least one of: currently selected, frequently selected in the past, recently selected in the past, and a category in which said each object is grouped.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
157 words
A data access device, comprising: a controller with a display and an input device connectable to a database; said controller being programmed to render a search scene having objects; said search scene containing criteria objects among said objects, said criteria objects representing criteria that may be incorporated in a search query; said criteria being grouped in categories; said search scene having three dimensions; said controller being programmed to accept commands from said input device and to reorganize said objects responsively thereto; an organization of said objects representing said search query, whereby a reorganization of said objects via said commands is effective to edit said query; said organization of said objects being asymmetric such as to differentiate objects according to their respective positions along respective dimensions according to whether each object is at least one of: currently selected, frequently selected in the past, recently selected in the past, and a category in which said each object is grouped.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
A device as in claim 14 , wherein each of said respective dimensions corresponds to a characteristic of said objects, said characteristics including whether a given object is currently selected, the frequency with which said given object was selected in the past, how recently said given object was selected in the past, and a category in which said given object is grouped.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
A device as in claim 14 , wherein said controller is programmed such that a movement of a criteria object from a first position in said search scene to a second position in said search scene indicates an inclusion of a criterion corresponding to said criteria object in a search query.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
A device as in claim 16 , wherein said controller is programmed such that a movement of said criteria object from said second position in said scene to said first position in said search scene indicates a removal of said criterion corresponding to said criteria object in said search query.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
50 words
A device as in claim 14 , wherein said controller is programmed such that a movement of said criteria object from said second position in said scene to said first position in said search scene indicates a removal of said criterion corresponding to said criteria object in said search query.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of generating a user interface for forming search queries and displaying results, comprising the steps of: generating a three-dimensional search scene on a display, said search scene containing objects corresponding to search criteria; accepting commands to modify said search scene; modifying a search query being defined or edited responsively to said step of accepting; said search scene being asymmetric such that varying positions along a given dimension indicate variation with respect to a characteristic corresponding to that dimension.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of generating a user interface for forming search queries and displaying results, comprising the steps of: generating a three-dimensional search scene on a display, said search scene containing objects corresponding to search criteria; accepting commands to modify said search scene; modifying a search query being defined or edited responsively to said step of accepting; said search scene being asymmetric such that varying positions along a given dimension indicate variation with respect to a characteristic corresponding to that dimension.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
WO1994006248A1
Cited
US5544360A
Cited
US5555354A
Cited
US5671381A
Cited
US5886697A
Cited
US5832494A
Cited
US5946678A
Cited
US5737734A
Cited
EP0774866A2
Cited
EP0774868A1
Cited
US5745109A
Cited
US5945988A
Cited
WO1997048230A1
Cited
US6133909A
Cited
US6317741B1
Cited
US5987446A
Cited
WO1998021878A2
Cited
US6326962B1
Cited
US5835094A
Cited
US6130726A
Cited
US6005565A
Cited
US6016487A
Cited
US5982369A
Cited
US6121969A
Cited
US6018372A
Cited
US6008802A
Cited
US6249773B1
Cited
US20010039659A1
Cited
US6327590B1
Cited
US6411724B1
Cited
US6430558B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-01-06 | 2006-07-08 | 2007-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-01-06 | 2010-07-08 | 2011-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-01-06 | 2014-07-08 | 2015-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |