US5408655A — User interface system and method for traversing a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 282 words

A method for a user of a computer system to traverse a database to retrieve an electronic document stored in said database, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a hypertext-type database, said hypertext-type database including a plurality of hypertext-type nodes, each of said hypertext nodes corresponding to an electronic document, wherein each of said hypertext-type nodes may be selectively linked to other of said hypertext-type nodes; b) providing a set of descriptive index terms; c) indexing said hypertext-type database by assigning a unique first subset of said descriptive index terms to each of said electronic documents; d) providing a plurality of first command options on a computer control display system (CCDS), said CCDS coupled to said hypertext-type database, each first command option representing a second subset of said descriptive index terms; e) said user selecting a first command option on said CCDS; f) comparing said first subset of descriptive index terms of said electronic documents with said second subset of said descriptive index terms of said selected first command option; g) producing a ranked list of electronic documents based on said comparing step f), said ranked list of electronic documents having a highest ranked document, and remaining electronic documents selectively linked to said highest ranked document, said highest ranked document representing a user's position, within the hypertext-type database; h) providing a plurality of second command options on said CCDS; i) said user selecting one of said second command options on said CCDS, said one of said second command options representing a desired electronic document in said ranked list; and j) changing said user's position to correspond with said desired electronic document corresponding to said one of said second command options.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 282 words

A method for a user of a computer system to traverse a database to retrieve an electronic document stored in said database, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a hypertext-type database, said hypertext-type database including a plurality of hypertext-type nodes, each of said hypertext nodes corresponding to an electronic document, wherein each of said hypertext-type nodes may be selectively linked to other of said hypertext-type nodes; b) providing a set of descriptive index terms; c) indexing said hypertext-type database by assigning a unique first subset of said descriptive index terms to each of said electronic documents; d) providing a plurality of first command options on a computer control display system (CCDS), said CCDS coupled to said hypertext-type database, each first command option representing a second subset of said descriptive index terms; e) said user selecting a first command option on said CCDS; f) comparing said first subset of descriptive index terms of said electronic documents with said second subset of said descriptive index terms of said selected first command option; g) producing a ranked list of electronic documents based on said comparing step f), said ranked list of electronic documents having a highest ranked document, and remaining electronic documents selectively linked to said highest ranked document, said highest ranked document representing a user's position, within the hypertext-type database; h) providing a plurality of second command options on said CCDS; i) said user selecting one of said second command options on said CCDS, said one of said second command options representing a desired electronic document in said ranked list; and j) changing said user's position to correspond with said desired electronic document corresponding to said one of said second command options.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said step of producing a ranked list of documents includes assigning a match value to each electronic document selectively linked to said user's position, said match value being a numerical indication of the relevancy of each document of said ranked list of documents to said second subset of said descriptive index terms.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 98 words

The method of claim 2 wherein said match value is computed according to the following equation: MV.sub.d =(i.sub.od).sup.2 /i.sub.o ×i.sub.d where, MV d =the match value of a document, d; i o =a number of document index terms characterizing said selected first comma option; i d =a number of document index terms characterizing the document for which a match value is being determined; and, i od =a number of co-occurring index terms when comparing the document index terms of document d, for which a match value is being determined and the option index terms characterizing that particular option.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 3 wherein the step of selecting said first command option includes selecting an option which is represented by a portrayed character or personality associable to the user as being biased toward a particular type of information.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 234 words

A method for retrieval of documents from a database, said database comprised of a plurality of electronic documents, each of said plurality of electronic documents capable of being selectively linked with other of said electronic documents; said method comprising the steps of: a) defining a set of descriptive index terms for said plurality of electronic documents; b) indexing said database by assigning a unique first subset of descriptive index terms to each of said electronic documents; c) providing a plurality of first command options on a computer controlled display system (CCDS) coupled to said database, each of said plurality of first command options having a unique second subset of said descriptive index terms; d) receiving one of said first command options; e) comparing said first subset of descriptive index terms of said electronic documents with said second subset of said descriptive index terms of said received first command option; f) generating a first ranked list of said electronic documents based on comparisons of step e), said first ranked list including a present position document; g) providing a plurality of second command options on said CCDS, each of said plurality of said second command options associated with one of said electronic documents on said ranked list; h) receiving one of said second command options; i) retrieving said electronic document associated with said received second command option, said retrieved electronic document becoming the present position document.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 234 words

A method for retrieval of documents from a database, said database comprised of a plurality of electronic documents, each of said plurality of electronic documents capable of being selectively linked with other of said electronic documents; said method comprising the steps of: a) defining a set of descriptive index terms for said plurality of electronic documents; b) indexing said database by assigning a unique first subset of descriptive index terms to each of said electronic documents; c) providing a plurality of first command options on a computer controlled display system (CCDS) coupled to said database, each of said plurality of first command options having a unique second subset of said descriptive index terms; d) receiving one of said first command options; e) comparing said first subset of descriptive index terms of said electronic documents with said second subset of said descriptive index terms of said received first command option; f) generating a first ranked list of said electronic documents based on comparisons of step e), said first ranked list including a present position document; g) providing a plurality of second command options on said CCDS, each of said plurality of said second command options associated with one of said electronic documents on said ranked list; h) receiving one of said second command options; i) retrieving said electronic document associated with said received second command option, said retrieved electronic document becoming the present position document.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of generating a second ranked list of documents which contains only documents, that are selectively linked with said retrieved electronic document.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said step of generating a first ranked list of electronic documents includes assigning a match value to each electronic document, said match value providing a numerical indication of the relevancy of said electronic document with said received first command option.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 104 words

The method as recited in claim 7 wherein each of said match values is computed according to the following equation: MV.sub.d =(i.sub.od).sup.2 /io×id where, MV d =a match value of a document, d; i o =a number of option index terms of said received first command option; i d =a number of document index terms characterizing the document of which a match value is being determined; and i od =a number of co-occuring index terms when comparing the document index terms of said document d, for which a match value is being determined, and the option index terms of said received first command option.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said step of providing a plurality of second command options is further comprised of selecting only said ranked electronic documents which have a match value greater than or equal to a predetermined number.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said predetermined number is approximately 0.005.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said step of providing a plurality of first command options is further comprised of generating, for each first command option, a portrayed character or personality associable to the user as being biased toward a particular type of information to cause retrieval of a particular type of electronic documents.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-04-17	1998-10-17	1999-04-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-04-17	2002-10-17	2003-04-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-04-17	2006-10-17	2007-04-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

User interface system and method for traversing a database

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag