Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-16
2001-02-06
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C706S055000, C706S060000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06184885
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is generally related to computer systems and graphical user interface environments therefor. More particularly, the invention is related to display and user access to information in a computer system or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Much of the combined knowledge base of the world has and continues to be recorded in written form (e.g., in books), so that others are able to more conveniently access and use such information. With the advent of computer technology, more and more information is now stored in an electronic form and accessed via a computer, rather than via the written page. Nonetheless, regardless of the media used to store information, the information has and continues to be regarded as being essentially one-dimensional—that is, a series of ideas strung together in a sequence of words or pages. Book pages and computer displays are each two-dimensional in nature, and may even provide two dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects. However, the basic structure of a collection of information presented in either case is still for the most part one-dimensional insofar as a person processes the information in a generally linear fashion.
A one-dimensional representation of information may be adequate for some when the amount of information is not that great. However, a person may have difficulty fully comprehending a collection of information about a particular topic when the information is located in several sources and/or when the information is associated with several levels of abstraction.
A level of abstraction typically relates to a particular manner of looking at a given collection of information, also referred to as a body of knowledge. Among other criteria, different levels of abstraction may relate to different comprehension levels, e.g., a basic or summary level vs. an advanced level, or different points of view or ways of looking at or stratifying the information.
When accessing information in a body of knowledge (e.g., for performing a particular task relating to such information), a person may be required to manage and understand a number of levels of abstraction at the same time. However, since books and computers typically require a person to access information from one source, and/or from one level of abstraction, at a time, the person may be forced to plod through information in a linear fashion and without the ability to visualize the relationship of the information in the broader scope of the body of knowledge.
Furthermore, in the instances where a person is able to access information from more than one source or level of abstraction, the information is often provided in disjointed views, offering no opportunity for a person to visualize the interaction of information from different levels and/or sources. More importantly, the relationship between the information displayed in the disjointed views, as well as the relationship of the information within the broader scope of the body of knowledge, is often not readily discemable by a user. As a result, it can become difficult for a user to manage and comprehend information in a coherent manner.
One particular area in which conventional manners of accessing information are often lacking is in linking together for a reader various related concepts in a body of knowledge. An author, for example, may indicate a relationship between concepts by discussing the concepts in a predetermined order, or by using cross-references that refer a user to another area of a body of knowledge for a related concept (e.g., “see chapter 5 for more detail”). Given the conventional one-dimensional model for presenting a collection of information, however, such linkages are static and often do not enable both the linked concepts and the manner in which the concepts are linked to be viewed simultaneously.
Moreover, any given pair of concepts need not be linked together in the same fashion in every circumstance. At different levels of abstraction, or whenever a collection of information is being accessed for different purposes, a pair of concepts may or may not even be linked together, or may be linked together based upon different criteria. As one example, at a general, high level of abstraction, the concepts “quick” and “fast” may be considered synonyms, as both may be considered to be characteristics of rapid movement. However, at a more specific, detailed level of abstraction in a particular discipline, “quick” and “fast” may no longer be considered to be synonyms, and may be considered mutually exclusive. For example, while both a high performance jet fighter and a bumblebee may be considered to be “fast”, the jet fighter may not be considered to be “quick” like a bumblebee when starting from a dead standstill.
Consequently, a significant need continues to exist for an improved manner of linking together for a user related concepts from a body of knowledge, specifically to facilitate user understanding and comprehension.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention addresses these and other problems associated with the prior art by providing a computer system and method of controlling the same that utilize logically-typed concept highlighting to link together in a user's mind the relationships between various concepts within a body of knowledge. Information from a body of knowledge is maintained in one or more information elements, at least a portion of which are associated with one or more named concepts that may be related to one another in any number of logically-relevant ways (e.g., being similar to or different from one another, being members of a common set or group, etc.). Links are defined between two or more of such named concepts so that information elements associated with named concepts linked together via a link may be visually represented to a user in such a manner that the logical relationship between such named concepts is apparent to the user.
Links are typically selectively enabled in response to a predetermined criteria so that different links may be enabled or disabled under appropriate circumstances. For example, a link may be selectively enabled in response to the sensitivity of one of the named concepts for the information elements to being crossed over by a pointer, or in response to a specified highlight enablement status of one of the referenced concepts. A link may also be enabled based upon the highlight enablement status of a link type associated with the link, or of a particular level of abstraction associated with the link. It should be appreciated that the aforementioned criteria for enabling a link are not exclusive, and that other criteria will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Through the use of logically-typed links, different types and/or combinations of specific links between named concepts may be presented to a user in different circumstances, thereby providing alternate presentations of information from a body of knowledge to the user. One resultant advantage is that in certain embodiments a user may be permitted to customize which and/or how links between named concepts are presented to the user. Moreover, in other embodiments, an author of a specific body of knowledge may have the capability to select which and/or how links between named concepts are presented to different types of users to optimize the learning process for as many users as possible. Consequently, user comprehension of a body of knowledge is often enhanced through the use of such logically-typed links.
Therefore, consistent with one aspect of the invention a method of presenting information from a body of knowledge to a user on a computer display may be provided. The method includes displaying first and second display representations on a computer display, the first and second display representations respectively including information from first and second information elements, with the first and second information elements respectively associated with first and second named concepts linked to one another via a concept link, and with the concept li
Bayerl Raymond J.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Roth Steven W.
Thai Cuong T.
Wood Herron & Evans L.L.P.
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