US6751620B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for viewing information in virtual space using multiple templates
Assignee: Buffalo Patents LLC
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Filing: 2001-02-14
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Granted: 2004-06-15
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Expires: 2021-02-14
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides method and apparatus for viewing information. In one embodiment, the system of the invention enables the user to view displayed information in a way that is comparable to a selected physical paradigm. Example physical paradigms include, but are not limited to, financial, educational, governmental, sports, media, retail, travel, geographic, real estate, medical, physiological, mechanical, surveillance, agricultural, industrial, infrastructure, scientific and other like paradigms. By presenting information to the user in a way that more closely mimics physical paradigms, the system provides an intuitive mechanism for the user to view, search through and interact with displayed information in an unrestricted manner. In another embodiment, the appearance is a graphical representation of one or more data objects, related to other data objects through hierarchical relationships defined by one or more templates. As the user adjusts the viewing perspective, the appearance changes in a seemingly continuous, non-discrete manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Julian Orbanes
- 👤 Adriana Guzman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/0346; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/903; G06F16/9038; G06F16/95; G06F16/954; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/04815; G06F2203/00; G06F2203/048; G06F2203/04804; G06F2203/04806; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A system for viewing information, said system comprising, a computing device adapted to employ a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, to generate an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, to enable said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, to store said data objects associated with said plurality of first spatial paradigms in a storage module according to said hierarchical relationships defined by said plurality of templates, and to deconstruct at least one prior existing hierarchical relationship between said data objects before storing said data objects.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
180 words
A system for viewing information, said system comprising, a computing device adapted to employ a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, to generate an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, to enable said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, to store said data objects associated with said plurality of first spatial paradigms in a storage module according to said hierarchical relationships defined by said plurality of templates, and to deconstruct at least one prior existing hierarchical relationship between said data objects before storing said data objects.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to determine said appearance for said subset of said data objects, wherein said appearance of said subset of said data objects is dependent, at least in part, on hierarchical relationships determined by at least one of said first plurality of templates and said super template, and said viewing perspective of said user.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to change said appearance in a seemingly continuous, non-discrete manner in response to said user commanding an adjustment of said viewing perspective.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to enable a party to define at least a portion of said hierarchical relationships between at least a portion of said data objects for a particular data source.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to enable a party to specify said physical paradigm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to re-profile said at least one data source to update said data objects stored in said storage module.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to extract data objects associated with said plurality of first physical paradigms from at least one Web server computer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to extract said data objects associated with said plurality of first physical paradigms from at least one of a legacy database, a live information feed, a substantially real-time source, a file system, a storage device, a simulation, a model and a file.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to provide said virtual appearance for each of said subset of said data objects by rendering selected details of said subset of said data objects, wherein said selected details approximate a physical appearance that said subset of said data objects would have to a user having said viewing perspective.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to define a virtual distance between said user and said subset of said data objects, and to determine said appearance of said subset of said data objects, at least in part, in dependence on said virtual distance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 10 further adapted to display more detail for ones of said data objects in response to said virtual distance decreasing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 10 further adapted to display less detail for ones of said data objects in response to said virtual distance increasing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to enable said user to enter a term, to determine a correspondence between any of said plurality of data objects and said term, and in response to determining a correspondence, to include corresponding ones of said plurality of data objects in said subset of said data objects.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to define a viewing direction for said user, to define an angle between said viewing direction and at least one of said objects, and to determine said appearance of said at least one of said data objects, at least in part, in dependence on said angle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system according to claim 14 further adapted to fixing said viewing direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
91 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to define a virtual position of said user in relation to said subset of said data objects, to cache graphical information for one ore more data objects virtually located within a predefined vicinity of said user, and to employ said cached graphical information to provide said virtual appearance for at least one of said one or m ore data objects in response to said user navigating within a predefined virtual distance of said at least one of said one or more data objects.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system according to claim 16 further adapted to determine whether data objects are virtually located within said predefined vicinity based on predefined coordinates of said data objects in said virtual representation, starting from the virtual position of said user.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 1 further adapted to enable said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion using a pan control, a zoom-in control, and zoom-out control.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
90 words
A system according to claim 18 wherein, with respect to a hierarchical level of a current data object, said pan control enables navigation to another data object located at said hierarchical level of said current data object, said zoom-in control enables navigation to another data object at another hierarchical level that is a child to said hierarchical level of said current data object, and said zoom-out control enables navigation to another data object at another hierarchical level that is a parent to said hierarchical level of said current data object.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
183 words
An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising, employing a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, to generate an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, storing said data objects associated with said plurality of first spatial paradigms in a storage module according to said hierarchical relationships defined by said plurality of templates, and deconstructing at least one prior existing hierarchical relationship between said data objects before storing said data objects.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
183 words
An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising, employing a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, to generate an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, storing said data objects associated with said plurality of first spatial paradigms in a storage module according to said hierarchical relationships defined by said plurality of templates, and deconstructing at least one prior existing hierarchical relationship between said data objects before storing said data objects.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for viewing information, said method comprising, employing a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, to generate an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, storing said data objects associated with said plurality of first spatial paradigms in a storage module according to said hierarchical relationships defined by said plurality of templates, and deconstructing at least one prior existing hierarchical relationship between said data objects before storing said data objects.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for viewing information, said method comprising, employing a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, to generate an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, storing said data objects associated with said plurality of first spatial paradigms in a storage module according to said hierarchical relationships defined by said plurality of templates, and deconstructing at least one prior existing hierarchical relationship between said data objects before storing said data objects.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
246 words
A system for viewing information, said system comprising, a computing device adapted to employ a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, to generate an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, to enable said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, to define a virtual position of said user in relation to said subset of said data objects, to cache graphical information for one ore more data objects virtually located within a predefined vicinity of said user, to employ said cached graphical information to provide said virtual appearance for at least one of said one or more data objects in response to said user navigating within a predefined virtual distance of said at least one of said one or more data objects, and to determine whether one or more data objects are virtually located within said predefined vicinity in dependence hierarchical relationships of said data objects and a hierarchical relationship defined by a party.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
246 words
A system for viewing information, said system comprising, a computing device adapted to employ a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, to generate an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, to enable said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, to define a virtual position of said user in relation to said subset of said data objects, to cache graphical information for one ore more data objects virtually located within a predefined vicinity of said user, to employ said cached graphical information to provide said virtual appearance for at least one of said one or more data objects in response to said user navigating within a predefined virtual distance of said at least one of said one or more data objects, and to determine whether one or more data objects are virtually located within said predefined vicinity in dependence hierarchical relationships of said data objects and a hierarchical relationship defined by a party.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system according to claim 22 further adapted to store said data objects associated with said plurality of first spatial paradigms in a storage module according to said hierarchical relationships defined by said plurality of templates.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 23 further adapted to deconstruct at least one prior existing hierarchical relationship between said data objects before storing said data objects.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
248 words
An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising, employing a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, generating an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, to define a virtual position of said user in relation to said subset of said data objects, caching graphical information for one ore more data objects virtually located within a predefined vicinity of said user, employing said cached graphical information to provide said virtual appearance for at least one of said one or more data objects in response to said user navigating within a predefined virtual distance of said at least one of said one or more data objects, and determining whether one or more data objects are virtually located within said predefined vicinity in dependence on hierarchical relationships of said data objects and a hierarchical relationship defined by a party.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
248 words
An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising, employing a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, generating an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, to define a virtual position of said user in relation to said subset of said data objects, caching graphical information for one ore more data objects virtually located within a predefined vicinity of said user, employing said cached graphical information to provide said virtual appearance for at least one of said one or more data objects in response to said user navigating within a predefined virtual distance of said at least one of said one or more data objects, and determining whether one or more data objects are virtually located within said predefined vicinity in dependence on hierarchical relationships of said data objects and a hierarchical relationship defined by a party.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
236 words
A method for viewing information, said method comprising, employing a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, generating an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, to define a virtual position of said user in relation to said subset of said data objects, caching graphical information for one ore more data objects virtually located within a predefined vicinity of said user, employing said cached graphical information to provide said virtual appearance for at least one of said one or more data objects in response to said user navigating within a predefined virtual distance of said at least one of said one or more data objects, and determining whether one or more data objects are virtually located within said predefined vicinity in dependence hierarchical relationships of said data objects and a hierarchical relationship defined by a party.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
236 words
A method for viewing information, said method comprising, employing a plurality data objects contained within at least one data source, a plurality of templates, wherein each of said plurality of templates relates to one of a plurality of first spatial paradigms, and defines hierarchical relationships between said plurality of data objects, and a super template, wherein said super template relates to a second spatial paradigm, and defines further hierarchical relationships between said data objects, generating an appearance of a subset of said data objects associated with both of at least one of said first spatial paradigms and said second spatial paradigm in a virtual space from an adjustable viewing perspective of a user, enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially unrestricted fashion, to define a virtual position of said user in relation to said subset of said data objects, caching graphical information for one ore more data objects virtually located within a predefined vicinity of said user, employing said cached graphical information to provide said virtual appearance for at least one of said one or more data objects in response to said user navigating within a predefined virtual distance of said at least one of said one or more data objects, and determining whether one or more data objects are virtually located within said predefined vicinity in dependence hierarchical relationships of said data objects and a hierarchical relationship defined by a party.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-06-15 | 2007-12-15 | 2008-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-06-15 | 2011-12-15 | 2012-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-06-15 | 2015-12-15 | 2016-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |