US20090055776A1 - Position based multi-dimensional locating system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide a method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements is described, the method comprising: receiving instructions providing data about a geographical and/or celestial position; and displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements being adapted to group user-selectable elements related to the position. A system and an interface providing position related array of user-selectable elements is also described. An array of user-selectable elements separating user-selectable elements in portions of time and displaying advertising is similarly disclosed therein.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES
• The present invention relates to and claims priority from: 1) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/885,120, filed Sep. 13, 2007, entitled INFORMATION ELEMENTS LOCATING SYSTEM AND METHOD; 2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/944,014, filed Nov. 21, 2007, entitled METHOD AND TOOL FOR CLASSIFYING DOCUMENTS TO ALLOW A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION; 3) U.S. Provisional patent application No. 60/957,444, filed Aug. 22, 2007, entitled INFORMATION ELEMENTS LOCATING SYSTEM AND METHOD; 4) U.S. Provisional patent application No. 60/971,214, filed Sep. 10, 2007, entitled GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATING SYSTEM AND METHOD; and from 5) U.S. Provisional patent application No. 61/034,625, filed Mar. 7, 2008, entitled INTERFACE. All the previously cited documents are incorporated herein by reference.
• The present invention also relates to 6) United States Patent Application Publication No.: US 2007/0214169 A1, published Sep. 13, 2007, entitled MULTI-DIMENSIONAL LOCATING SYSTEM AND METHOD; and 7) United States Patent Application Publication No.: US 2007/0271508 A1, published Nov. 22, 2007, entitled MULTI-DIMENSIONAL LOCATING SYSTEM AND METHOD. Both of these documents are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• This invention relates generally to computer systems and more specifically to a method, a system and an interface that facilitates localization and organization of user-selectable elements. More precisely, the present invention relates to a method for managing arrays of user-selectable elements in association with a geographical or a celestial position; separating user-selectable elements in portions of time; and displaying advertising.
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• With the always increasing amount of information one has to deal with on a daily basis it becomes harder to manage the information on an item by item basis. An alternative information management system adapted to organize large amount of information would be beneficial to the user.
• United States Patent Application Publication No.: US 2007/0214169 A1, published on Sep. 13, 2007 discloses a Multi-dimensional locating system and method (title). The patent application discloses ways for managing and displaying vectors of documents and other computer-readable files. A vector of documents that groups a plurality of documents along a predetermined order, inter alia, is taught.
• United States Patent Application Publication No.: US 2007/0271508 A1, published on Nov. 22, 2007 discloses a Multi-dimensional locating system and method (title). A plurality of vectors of documents and other computer-readable files sharing a common timeline is disclosed.
• With the possibility of displaying vectors of documents and other information elements it is desirable to associate arrays of user-selectable elements and/or user-selectable elements with a position/location.
• It is also desirable to separate documents and other information elements on an information element vector in accordance with the past, the present and the future.
• It is desirable to display advertising in relation with the selected attribute(s) associated with an information element vector to more precisely direct the advertising or the message to a receptive audience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
• This invention generally refers to user-selectable elements that include computer-readable files like documents and multimedia assets. User-selectable elements can alternatively be referred to menu icons or thumbnails that are associated to an attribute, a category or a tag and arranged as explained below. In order to lighten the reading of the present specification, the term “document” is generally used without intending to limit the scope of the present patent application only to documents. unless positively specified, but rather to include, inter alia, the above-mentioned user-selectable elements.
• Therefore, an aspect of the present invention provides an array of documents related to a position/location.
• An aspect of the present invention provides a plurality of arrays of documents related to a position/location, each array being adapted to group documents having a commonality therebetween.
• An additional aspect of the present invention provides an array of documents related to a position, each array being adapted to group documents having a commonality, the commonality being graphically represented and associated with the array of documents to which it relates, the graphical representation being adapted to be selectable.
• An object of the present invention provides a means to draw a relation between an array of documents and a geographical map and/or a celestial map.
• One aspect of the present invention provides a graphical link between an array of documents and a position/location on a map.
• One other aspect of the present invention provides a graphical link between a document on an array of documents and a position on a map.
• Another aspect of the present invention provides a query determining the documents to be displayed on an array of documents, the query being adapted to change in consideration of the altitude of a map.
• One other aspect of the present invention provides a choice of attributes that is associated with an altitude from which a map is visualized.
• An aspect of the present invention provides a plurality of attributes, the plurality of attributes having respective associations with an altitude, the altitude being material into the determination of the attributes that are available to a user to select.
• Another aspect of the present invention provides a choice of documents displayed on an array of documents that are selected, at least in part, on an azimuth.
• One aspect of the present invention provides a choice of documents displayed on an array of documents that are selected, at least in part, on a declination.
• An aspect of the present invention provides a dynamic link between an array of documents and a position on a map, a movement of the subject position on the map influencing which documents are displayed on the array of documents.
• Another aspect of the present invention provides one or more tangible machine-readable media having machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising: receiving instructions providing data about a position; and displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements being adapted to group user-selectable elements related to the position.
• An aspect of the present invention provides an arrangement of documents in accordance with a timeline defining the past, the present and the future.
• One other aspect of the present invention provides an arrangement of documents on an array of documents along a timeline defining the past, the present and the future.
• Another aspect of the present invention provides independent scrolling capability for each of a past, present and future portion of an array of documents.
• An aspect of the present invention provides an array of documents defining a first portion displaying documents related to the past, a second portion displaying documents, and or computer programs, related to the present and a third portion displaying documents or scheduled elements related to the future.
• One other aspect of the present invention provides an array of documents that displays documents related to the past on a first linear distribution, documents related to the present on a second linear distribution and documents related to the future on a third linear distribution. The linear distributions being displayable adjacent to each other.
• One aspect of the present invention provides a means to magnify a document from an array of documents.
• Another aspect of the present invention provides a single means for scrolling through documents disposed on an array of documents among other arrays of documents. The desired array of document being adapted to be selected prior to being actively scrolled through.
• One other additional aspect of the present invention provides one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide a method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements, the method comprising: displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements defining a past portion, a present portion and a future portion.
• An aspect of the present invention provides a tool for managing information that is adapted to display documents in a fashion that allows a user to draw links therebetween.
• One aspect of the present invention provides a mechanism to display advertising in association with an array of documents based on attributes used to determine which documents are displayed on the array of documents.
• Another aspect of the present invention provides advertising in association with an array of documents based on the selection of commonality that is material in the selection of the documents on the array.
• An aspect of the present invention provides a mechanism that displays advertising at predetermined intervals therebetween on an array of documents.
• One other aspect of the present invention provides an advertiser to determine attributes and associate the determined attributes with advertisings and correlate the determined attribute with the selection of attribute(s) made by a user to display the associated advertising(s).
• Another aspect of the present invention provides one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide a method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements comprising: associating an advertising with an attribute; receiving instructions about the selection of the attribute; displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements grouping user-selectable element having the attribute in common; and displaying the advertising.
• These and other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a computer network;
• FIG. 2 is another alternate schematic view of a computer network;
• FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a computer system;
• FIG. 4 is a schematic view of geographical coordinates;
• FIG. 5 is a schematic view of coordinates with the azimuth and the declination;
• FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 7 is an alternate flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 8 is an alternate flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 9 is an alternate flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 10 is an alternate flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 11 is an alternate flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 12 is an alternate flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 13 is an alternate flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 14 is an alternate flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 15 is an alternate flow chart illustrating various steps adapted to retrieve documents related to a geographical position and displays the retrieved documents on an array of documents;
• FIG. 16 illustrates an array of documents in association with a celestial map;
• FIG. 17 is a graph of the relation between the altitude and the precision of attributes;
• FIG. 18 is an illustrative table of the relation between the altitude and the precision of attributes;
• FIG. 19 is an alternate illustrative table of the relation between the altitude and the precision of attributes;
• FIG. 20 is an illustrative geographical map of Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec, Canada;
• FIG. 21 illustrates an array of documents and its related documents graphically associated with the geographical map ofFIG. 20;
• FIG. 22 is an illustration of two intersecting arrays of documents falling from the selection of attribute “E”;
• FIG. 23 illustrates two intersecting arrays of documents and a related document graphically associated with the geographical map ofFIG. 20;
• FIG. 24 illustrates an alternate array of documents and a related document graphically associated with the geographical map ofFIG. 20;
• FIG. 25 illustrates the alternate array of documents ofFIG. 24 where each row of the array can be individually scrolled or navigated;
• FIG. 26 illustrates an array of documents including a past portion, a present portion and a future portion, each portion associated with their respective navigation means;
• FIG. 27 alternatively illustrates an array of documents including a past portion, a present portion and a future portion, each portion being associated with their respective navigation means;
• FIG. 28 also alternatively illustrates an array of documents including a past portion, a present portion and a future portion, each portion being associated with their respective navigation means;
• FIG. 29 illustrates a series of arrays of documents including a past portion, a present portion and a future portion, each portion being associated with their respective navigation means;
• FIG. 30 illustrates a series of arrays of documents including a past portion, a present portion and a future portion, associated with a single set of navigation means;
• FIG. 31 illustrates an array of documents with bi-dimensional navigation means;
• FIG. 32 illustrates two intersecting arrays of documents with bi-dimensional navigation means;
• FIG. 33 illustrates an array of documents separating the past portion, the present portion and the future portion on distinct rows and further magnifying selected documents;
• FIG. 34 is a schematic illustration of three arrays of documents juxtaposed one to the other;
• FIG. 35 is a schematic illustration of the three arrays ofFIG. 34 using a different distribution;
• FIG. 36 is a schematic illustration of an array of documents;
• FIG. 37 is a schematic illustration of two arrays of documents;
• FIG. 38 is a schematic illustration of an array of documents;
• FIG. 39 is a schematic illustration of three arrays of documents;
• FIG. 40 is a schematic illustration of two intersecting arrays of documents;
• FIG. 41 is a schematic illustration of two intersecting arrays of documents;
• FIG. 42 is a flow chart of advertising associated with attributes and displayed when the attribute is selected in conjunction with an array of documents;
• FIG. 43 is an alternate flow chart of advertising associated with attributes and displayed when the attribute is selected in conjunction with an array of documents;
• FIG. 44 is an illustrative array of documents displaying an advertising;
• FIG. 45 is an alternate illustrative array of documents displaying an advertising; and
• FIG. 46 is an alternate illustrative array of documents displaying advertising.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It may be evident, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the present invention.
• The features provided in this specification mainly relates to basic principles for managing arrays of documents in relation with geographical position and/or celestial position; separating user-selectable elements in portions of time; and displaying advertising. This specification also covers computer software and machine-readable code/instructions adapted to manage an array of documents with a related geographical position; adapted to separate user-selectable elements in portions of time; and also adapted to display advertising. These code/instructions are preferably stored on a machine-readable medium to be read and acted upon to with a computer or a machine having the appropriate code/instructions reading capability.
• Exemplary Network
• FIG. 1 illustrates anexemplary network10 in which a system and method, consistent with the present invention, may be implemented. Thenetwork10 may includemultiple client devices12 connected tomultiple servers14,16,18 via anetwork20. Thenetwork20 may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a telephone network, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), an intranet, the Internet, Wi-Fi, WiMAX or a combination of networks. Twoclient devices12 and threeservers14,16,18 have been illustrated as connected to network20 for simplicity. In practice, there may be more or less client devices and servers. Also, in some instances, a client device may perform the functions of a server and a server may perform the functions of a client device.
• Theclient devices12 may include devices, such as mainframes, minicomputers, personal computers, laptops, personal digital assistants, telephones, or the like, capable of connecting to thenetwork20. Theclient devices12 may transmit data over thenetwork20 or receive data from thenetwork20 via a wired, wireless, or optical connection.
• Theservers14,16,18 may include one or more types of computer systems, such as a mainframe, minicomputer, or personal computer, capable of connecting to thenetwork20 to enableservers14,16,18 to communicate with theclient devices12. In alternative implementations, theservers14,16,18 may include mechanisms for directly connecting to one ormore client devices12. Theservers14,16,18 may transmit data overnetwork14 or receive data from thenetwork20 via a wired, wireless, or optical connection.
• In an implementation consistent with the present invention, theserver14 may include asearch engine22 usable by theclient devices12. Theservers14 may store documents, such as web pages, accessible by theclient devices12.
• With reference toFIG. 2, anetwork20 includes thecontent cloud30, acontent database32, content devices34-38, and devices40-48. Thenetwork mediator22 enables the network devices32-38 to communicate with each other without pre-configuring each device.
• Thecontent cloud30 represent a content source such as the Internet, where content exists at various locations across the globe. The content includes multimedia content such as audio and video. Themediator22 allows the content cloud to provide content to devices40-48.
• Thecontent database32 is a storage device that maintains content. Thecontent database32 may be a stand-alone device on an external communication network. Themediator22 communicates with thecontent database32 to access and retrieve content.
• The content devices34-38 include intelligent devices, such as, for example, personal computers, laptops, cell phones and personal digital assistants. The content devices32-38 are capable or storing content information.
• The devices40-48 are intelligent devices that receive content from a content source30-38. However, the devices30-38 can also operate as servers to distribute content to other client devices.
• Exemplary Client Architecture
• FIG. 3 and the following discussion provide a brief, general description of an exemplary apparatus in which at least some aspects of the present invention may be implemented. The present invention will be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a personal computer. However, the methods of the present invention may be effected by other apparatus. Program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, applets, WEB 2.0 type of evolved networked centered applications, etc. that perform a task(s) or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that at least some aspects of the present invention may be practiced with other configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network computers, minicomputers, set top boxes, mainframe computers, gaming console and the like. At least some aspects of the present invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in local and/or remote memory storage devices.
• With reference toFIG. 3, anexemplary apparatus100 for implementing at least some aspects of the present invention includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a conventionalpersonal computer120. Thepersonal computer120 may include aprocessing unit121, asystem memory122, and asystem bus123 that couples various system components, including thesystem memory122, to theprocessing unit121. Thesystem bus123 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory may include read only memory (ROM)124 and/or random access memory (RAM)125. A basic input/output system126 (BIOS), containing basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within thepersonal computer120, such as during start-up, may be stored inROM124. Thepersonal computer120 may also include ahard disk drive127 for reading from and writing to a hard disk, (not shown), amagnetic disk drive128 for reading from or writing to a (e.g., removable)magnetic disk129, and anoptical disk drive130 for reading from or writing to a removable (magneto)optical disk131 such as a compact disk or other (magneto) optical media. Thehard disk drive127,magnetic disk drive128, and (magneto)optical disk drive130 may be coupled with thesystem bus123 by a harddisk drive interface132, a magneticdisk drive interface133, and a (magneto)optical drive interface134, respectively. The drives and their associated storage media provide nonvolatile (or persistent) storage of machine readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for thepersonal computer120. Although the exemplary environment described herein employs a hard disk, a removablemagnetic disk129 and a removableoptical disk131, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of storage media, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROM), and the like, may be used instead of, or in addition to, the storage devices introduced above.
• A number of program modules may be stored on thehard disk127,magnetic disk129, (magneto)optical disk131,ROM124 orRAM125, such as an operating system135 (for example, Windows® NT® 4.0, sold by Microsoft® Corporation of Redmond, Wash.), one ormore application programs136, other program modules137 (such as “Alice”, which is a research system developed by the User Interface Group at Carnegie Mellon University available at www.Alice.org, OpenGL from Silicon Graphics Inc. of Mountain View Calif., or Direct 3D from Microsoft Corp. of Bellevue Wash.), and/orprogram data138 for example.
• A user may enter commands and information into thepersonal computer120 through input devices, such as akeyboard140, acamera141 andpointing device142 for example. Other input devices (not shown) such as a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, a touch sensitive screen, accelerometers adapted to sense movements of the user or movements of a device, or the like may also be included. These and other input devices are often connected to theprocessing unit121 through aserial port interface146 coupled to the system bus. However, input devices may be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, a game port, blue tooth connection or a universal serial bus (USB). For example, since the bandwidth of thecamera141 may be too great for the serial port, thevideo camera141 may be coupled with thesystem bus123 via a video capture card (not shown). The video monitor147 or other type of display device may also be connected to thesystem bus123 via an interface, such as avideo adapter148 for example. Thevideo adapter148 may include a graphics accelerator. One ormore speaker162 may be connected to thesystem bus123 via a sound card161 (e.g., a wave table synthesizer such as product number AWE64 Gold Card from Creative® Labs of Milpitas, Calif.). In addition to themonitor147 and speaker(s)162, thepersonal computer120 may include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as a printer for example. As an alternative or an addition to thevideo monitor147, a stereo video output device, such as a head mounted display or LCD shutter glasses for example, could be used.
• Thepersonal computer120 may operate in a networked environment which defines logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as aremote computer149. Theremote computer149 may be another personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and may include many or all of the elements described above relative to thepersonal computer120, although only a memory storage device has been illustrated inFIG. 1. The logical connections depicted inFIG. 2 include a local area network (LAN)14 and a wide area network (WAN)152, an intranet and the Internet.
• When used in a LAN, thepersonal computer120 may be connected to theLAN14 through a network interface adapter (or “NIC”)153. When used in a WAN, such as the Internet, thepersonal computer120 may include amodem154 or other means for establishing communications over the wide area network152 (e.g. Wi-Fi, WinMax). Themodem154, which may be internal or external, may be connected to thesystem bus123 via theserial port interface146. In a networked environment, at least some of the program modules depicted relative to thepersonal computer120 may be stored in the remote memory storage device. The network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.
• The Interface
• An interface program providing an interface for managing documents is installed on a machine e.g. a computer system. The interface can be programmed using various programming languages e.g. C++, Java or other suitable programming languages. Programming of these languages is well known in the art and is adapted to be readable to provide executable instructions to the hardware system. The interface might run through the operating system and the hardware of the computer system or, alternatively, through a network based system. The interface is adapted to manage documents, computer files, pictures, multimedia content, applications (i.e. computer programs), menu elements and other user-selectable elements in a comprehensive fashion. From now on, and throughout this patent application, we refer to the term “documents” to lighten the text although no rights are declined in respect to other types of content unless otherwise specified.
• Documents are stored on a machine readable medium and can be retrieved when needed by the interface program. The documents are disposed in an array layout providing a visually comprehensive display arrangement of the documents. The array can, illustratively, among other possibilities, be based on a selection of attribute(s), tag(s), category(ies), a chronological order, a statistical order or an order representing an increasing file size. Combinations of the above-listed possible choices are possible if desired to reduce the number of documents on the array. The array thus helps the viewer to infer additional meaning from the distribution of the documents.
• An array is adapted to accommodate a single type of documents, more than one type of documents or a mix of documents, computer files, multimedia content and user-selectable menu elements. Documents might overlap to squeeze more documents on the space available on a display. Magnification of selected documents on an array can be made to increase the level of details of the selected documents.
• Using an array of documents helps to meaningfully and intuitively display a group of documents. An array of documents can be embodied as being a substantially linear distribution of documents adapted to dispose each document to be displayed on a line or on a curved line. The display of the array of documents might be made in accordance with a predetermined order (e.g. chronologically), or not. A linear distribution of documents can sort documents on a timeline. Another illustrative embodiment is a group of juxtaposed linear distribution of documents grouped together to form an array referring to a matrix of documents. A circular array of documents is also considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
• The display of documents on an array of documents allows to contextually manage documents as a flow or an ongoing suite of documents instead of dealing with each document independently. By getting away from the managing each document independently it becomes possible to efficiently deal with a significantly higher number of documents and still keep the documents in a structured order.
• Each array of documents groups documents in accordance with, for example, a selected tag, a category, keywords, or an attribute that is commonly shared among the documents of the array of documents. The term attribute will consistently be used throughout the instant specification to lighten the reading of the text and will include the other commonality described therein unless otherwise specified. The selection of one or more attributes determines which documents will be displayed on the array of documents. If no specific attribute is selected, then, the array of documents displays all documents. That is, all documents on the same array of documents are associated with the selected set of attributes. In addition a timeline can be used to determine the order of the suite of documents on the array of documents. In the case of a matrix of documents, then, one axis of the matrix can represent a timeline while the other axis represents another criterion like, for example, the type of computer files each document relates to.
• The attributes of a document can be selected to create another array of documents. The attribute of a document from the newly created array of documents can be selected to create an additional array of documents and so on so forth. The user can “navigate” along the arrays of documents in accordance with their metadata, or categorization, to visualize the documents. Navigation tools are provided with the interface to allow navigation through various arrays of documents, when a plurality of arrays is enabled, and through the documents of a single array of documents.
• When only a portion of the array is visible, a play of zoom, pan and navigation along the array allows a viewer to change the document(s) that is(are) displayed on the display. A small display area could display only one document from the array of documents while the remaining documents from the array of documents are not displayed but remain nonetheless at their “virtual” position on the array and ready to be displayed if the array is scrolled to show other documents. In other words, if we consider a mobile platform like a mobile phone having a small display, the small display area might allow to efficiently display only one document at the time. However, the displayed document being part of an array of documents, the other documents on the array of documents remain displayable in accordance with their respective position on the array of documents when the array is scrolled/navigated.
• Global Positioning
• A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the earth to be specified, using mainly a spherical coordinate system. As illustrated onFIGS. 4 and 5, there are three coordinates:latitude200,longitude210 and geodesic height (or altitude220). Latitude200 (abbreviation: Lat. or (φ) pronounced phi) is the angle from a point on the earth's surface and the equatorial plane, measured from the centre of the sphere. Lines joining points of thesame latitude200 are called parallels, and they trace concentric circles on the surface of the earth, parallel to the equator. The north pole 90° N; the south pole 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator. The equator is the fundamental plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
• Longitude210 (abbreviation: Long. or (λ) pronounced lambda) is the angle east or west of north-south line between the two geographical poles, which passes through an arbitrary point. Lines joining points of the same longitude are called meridians. All meridians are halves of great circles, and are not parallel. They converge at the north and south poles.
• The line passing through the (former) Royal Observatory, Greenwich (near London in the UK) has been chosen as the international zero-longitude reference line, the Prime Meridian. Places to east are in the eastern hemisphere, and places to the west in the western hemisphere. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180° W and 180° E. The choice of Greenwich is arbitrary, and in other cultures and times in history other locations have been used as the prime meridian.
• By combining these two angles, the horizontal position of any location on Earth can be specified. For example, Baie-Saint-Paul (in the province of Quebec, Canada), a well know place for painters and artists, also known for being the cradle of Cirque du Soleil™ that was formerly known as “Les échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul”, has a latitude of 47°26′22.33″ North, and a longitude of 70°29″32.00″ West. So, a vector drawn from the center of the earth to a point 47®26′22.33″ North of the equator and 70°29″32.00″ of Greenwich will pass through Baie-Saint-Paul. The coordinates provided above are more precise than required and could be less precise and still provide proper positioning.
• Azimuth230 is a mathematical concept defined as the angle, usually measured in degrees (°), between areference plane232 and a point. This concept is used in many practical applications including navigation, astronomy, mapping, mining and artillery. The word azimuth is derived from the Arabic ‘as-sumūt’ which means the ways, referring to the ways or directions a person faces. In navigation, the reference plane is typically true north and is considered 0° azimuth. Moving clockwise234, a point due east would have an azimuth of 90°, south 180°, and west 270°. Some navigation systems use south as the reference plane. However, any direction can serve as the plane of reference, as long as it is clearly defined for everyone using that system.
• If instead of measuring from and along the horizon the angles are measured from and along the celestial equator, the angles are called declination240 and right ascension (hour angle).
• In the horizontal coordinate system, used in celestial navigation and satellite dish installation,azimuth230 is one of the two coordinates. The other is altitude, sometimes called elevation above the horizon.
• In three-dimensional polar coordinate systems, including cylindrical coordinates and spherical coordinates, theazimuth230 of a point is the angle between the positive x-axis and the projection of the vector onto the xy-plane (the component of the vector in the xy-plane). In cylindrical coordinates, theta θ is almost universally used to represent theazimuth230 in mathematical applications, whereas physical applications may denote theazimuth230 using the symbol phi, φ. Although there are several conventions in spherical coordinates, theazimuth230 is usually denoted by either theta, θ or phi, φ.
• Arrays Associated with a Position
• What follows is a series of exemplary flow charts illustrating various possible suites of actions that are embodied in the present invention. These flow charts are neither exhaustive nor limitative of the possible variations provided by the present invention. A skilled person in the art of information management, in consideration of the present specification and in light of other related priority documents, might see other alternate suites of actions, other possible variations, like changing the order of the steps that are not described in the shape of flow charts, remain nonetheless within the scope of the present invention.
• The process shown onFIG. 6 is a very basic illustrative process. Other variations will be presented inFIG. 7 throughFIG. 15.
• Turning now toFIG. 6 illustrating an exemplary flow chart of the display of an array of documents based on a geographical position. It is understood that each document has previously been associated with a geographical position. The sequence starts250 with the selection of anattribute252. Then, a map is displayed254 and a position on the map is selected256. The selectedposition256 and the selectedattribute252 are used to determine which documents will be displayed on the array of documents. Finally the array of documents is displayed258 and the sequence ends260. In the flow chart displayed onFIG. 6 the selection of theattribute252 has been placed before the display of amap254 and the selection of the geographical position on themap256 and could have been inverted without departing from the scope of the present invention. Alternatively, the display of amap254 and the selection of the geographical position on themap256 could have been made before the selection of theattribute252. These are examples; other ways to order documents on an array of documents will surely become apparent to a skilled reader and still remain within the reach of the present invention.
• Referring now toFIG. 7 that illustrates an alternate sequence that begins262 with the selection of anattribute264 and is followed by the determination of the ordering along which documents will be disposed on the array ofdocuments266. The ordering can be in accordance with a chronological order, from the most recently used to the less recently used document, or disposed in alphabetical order. Still onFIG. 7, a map is displayed268 and a position is selected on themap270 either by, inter alia, clicking directly on the map, selecting a specific location from a list of location or entering a geographical coordinate. An array of documents having an association with the selected geographical position and the selected attribute is displayed272. Navigation can be enabled along the suite of documents displayed on the array ofdocuments274 before the sequence ends276.
• FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate sequence starting278 with the selection of anattribute280 followed by either the display of amap282 and the selection of a geographical position on themap284, or, the selection of thegeographical position286 and the display of a map with the selectedgeographical position288. An array of documents including documents having an association with the selected geographical position and the selected attribute is displayed290. Once the array is displayed the geographical position is changed292 for a different geographical location and the array that is displayed is updated in accordance with the change that was made294. The array will update the documents displayed thereon in accordance with the new geographical position. And finally the sequence ends296.
• The array is updatable in accordance to a change in a parameter used in the query that determines which document should be displayed on the array. The update of the array can be instantaneous and the new version of the array just replaces the previous version. Alternatively the update of the array can be progressive by using animations showing which documents remain on the array and showing new documents accessing their respective positions on the array such that a viewer could appreciate the changes.
• Another alternate sequence is illustrated onFIG. 9 and starts298 with the selection of anattribute300 and the display of amap302 from which a geographical position can be selected304 or identified in relation therewith. An array of documents having an association with the selected geographical position and the selected attribute is displayed306. Subsequently, the selected attribute is changed308 and the array is updated in accordance with the newly selectedattribute310 to make sure the array presents an accurate group of documents, all associated with the right attribute and the selected geographical position, before the sequence ends.
• Turning now toFIG. 10 where is illustrated an alternate sequence beginning314 with the selection of one or a combination ofattributes316 followed by the display of amap318 and the selection of a position on themap320. Based on the selected attribute(s) and the selected position on the map, a group of document is displayed in the shape of an array ofdocuments322. This time a change in the selected geographical position on the map is performed324 and subsequently the array of documents is updated in accordance with the change in the selected geographical position so that the documents associated with the array of documents are all relevant to the newly selected geographical position and the selectedattribute326 before the sequence ends328.
• OnFIG. 11 is displayed an alternate sequence starting330 with the selection of one or a combination of attribute(s)332 and the display of amap334 and the selection of a geographical position on themap334 and the selection of analtitude338 from which the map is viewed (or the adjustment of the height from which the map is seen to set a desired level of details on the map). Once the altitude is set338, the precision of the attribute is determined in accordance with the altitude selected340. In other words the altitude has an influence on the attributes. If the altitude is high the available attributes will, for example, be rather general to correspond with the level of details provided by the set altitude as opposed to precise attributes rendered available when the altitude is low and more details for the map are available to a viewer. In this situation the attribute has already been selected and the level of details of the selected attribute is determined by the altitude, and the sequence ends344.
• Another exemplary sequence is illustrated onFIG. 12 and starts346 with the display of amap348 and the selection of a position on themap350. An altitude from which the map is viewed is set352. The attribute is selected356 after the altitude has been taken into account to determine which attributes354 are rendered available to a user. The selection of attributes is decided, at least in part, on the basis of the altitude. The array of documents having an association with the selected geographical position and the selected attribute is displayed358 before the sequence ends360. In this sequence the attributes that can be selected by a user have been determined by the altitude prior to the selection of the attributes.
• One additional sequence is illustrated onFIG. 13 and starts362 with the selection of anattribute364, the display of a map366 and the selection of a geographical position on themap368. An array is displayed showing documents having an association with the selected geographical position. The selected attribute and anazimuth370 establishes the angle on the map by which the documents displayed on the array will be selected. For instance a direction (as indicated on a compass bearing, or azimuth) will have a significant impact on the point of view from which pictures are taken thus filtering all the pictures taken from/of a geographical position and keeping only the pictures taken with the right azimuth (angle). The azimuth can be changed372 and the documents displayed on the array are updated in accordance with thenew parameters374 before the sequence ends376.
• FIG. 14 illustrates a sequence that starts378 with the selection of anattribute380, the display of amap382 and the selection of a position on themap384. An array is displayed showing documents related to the selected map position and the selectedattribute386. Additionally, graphical links between the array of documents and a geographical position to which the array is associated to is drawn to emphasis the link between the array and theposition388 on the map before the sequence ends390. The link between the array and the map is even more useful when there is a plurality of array simultaneously displayed. The link emphasises which array is associated with which position on the map.
• FIG. 15 illustrates an alternate sequence that starts392 with the selection of anattribute394, the display of amap396 and the selection of a position on themap398. An array is displayed displaying documents related to the selected position andattribute400. Additionally, graphical links between documents and geographical position(s) to which the documents are associated to is drawn to emphasis the link between the documents and theposition402 before the sequence ends404. The link between an array and its related map position/location is even more useful when there is a plurality of array simultaneously displayed.
• The foregoing illustrative flow charts ofFIG. 6 throughFIG. 15 are generally disclosing sequences using a geographical position to retrieve documents that are associated with the selected position/location. In contrast, the array or the documents displayed on an array can be used to retrieve geographical locations. In the latter case, once an array of documents is enabled, a series of links can be generated to show the association between a document (or the array itself) and a geographical position on the map. A separate set of flow charts illustrating the latter case has been omitted to reduce the number of figures but is nonetheless considered, when taken in conjunction with other elements disclosed herein, to remain within the realm of the present invention.
• The links between the array and/or the documents can be displayed in accordance with time. Let's use an example to illustrate the relation between documents, time and positions. A person in a bus has sent many e-mails and SMS one after the other on her/his way home. The sequence, in time and in geographical position, can be illustrated by an array including all e-mails and SMS from the person. Links between each document and their related geographical positions can be drawn in sequence to show where each document is originating from (or has been sent from).
• The same principles are applicable to a map of thesky410 as illustrated onFIG. 16. In this case, all geographical positions referred to in this specification would be replaced bycelestial positions412. The appropriate set of coordinates would be used (e.g. RA: 00 h 26 m 35 s; Dec: +17:09:45; Alt: 02:27:35; Az: 13:57:33). The map of thesky410 illustrates a portion of thesky414. Eachdocument416 on the array ofdocuments418 are displayed bellow themap410 but could be superposed to themap410. Eachdocument416 is linked with the actual celestial position it relates to using alink420. Thearray418 is provided witharrows422 on each side of thearray418 to scroll additional documents that are outside the display zone between thearrows422.
• Planet March can be selected on a map of the sky and the attribute “water” can be selected from the available list of attributes. An array of documents is thus produced displaying documents related to water on March. The attribute might illustratively be narrowed by selecting “NASA” and “Report” and “PDF” to get only the reports from the NASA in PDF format on the array.
• Referring now toFIG. 17 throughFIG. 19.FIGS. 17 and 18 show the type of relationship thealtitude436 can have with the precision of the attribute. Similarly,FIG. 19 illustrates, inter alia, a table430 including a list ofattributes432 classified in columns under theirrelated attribute family434. In the example ofFIG. 19, the family of attribute relates to a series of attributes about geography e.g. continents; countries; provinces; cities; highways and finally, the more detailed attribute “streets”. The family ofattribute434 is associated with analtitude436. All the attributes are not always available to be selected in accordance with the altitude. Depending on the actual altitude from which the map is viewed, only a number of attribute is available. If the altitude is high, the map will be shown from far and only general information will be viewed from the map. The attribute will be available in accordance with the level of altitude and will not offer attributes that are more precise than the actual level of altitude. If would be pointless to offer to select the attribute “street” if the entire planet Earth is displayed and the level of details does not provide any information about “street”.
• The attributes can be offered to the user in accordance with the level of altitude provided by the map but other attributes might also be accessible if the user precisely knows what is desired. The “by default” displayed attributes can be determined in accordance with the level of zoom but selection of other attributes remains possible. All attributes are not necessarily available in relation with a position on a map if there is no document associated with the attribute for the subject location on the map. Although a wider choice of attributes not necessarily already associated with the position is available when associating attributes with a document.
• FIG. 20 is aconventional map440 provided by a map provider through the internet. The city of Baie-Saint-Paul is pinpointed442 next to the St-Laurence river444. The geographical position and the altitude are also provided with the map.
• OnFIG. 21, an array ofdocuments450 is illustrated next to a smaller image of theconventional map440 of Baie-Saint-Paul onFIG. 21. The array ofdocuments450 disposesdocuments452 along achronological timeline454. The array ofdocuments450 is connected to themap440 with anarray link456 positioning thearray450 on themap440. Otherwise, eachdocument458 has its own relateddocument link460 drawing a link between thedocument458 and its related position on themap440.
• Dynamic Position Association
• Still referring toFIG. 21 the position on the map can move and provides a dynamic array of documents. Lets take an example to illustrate the concept. You are moving in a car in Baie-Saint-Paul looking for a restaurant. You set the position of the moving car as the reference position for the array and select “restaurant” as attribute to determine which documents, in the present example documents are likely to be internet pages, will be displayed on the array of document. At the same time the car moves the next available restaurant appears on the array such that the array of documents dynamically displays the internet pages (or the menu if the attribute “restaurant” and “menu” are selected) of restaurants on the trajectory of the moving car. A heads-up delay can be selected to display the information on the array, lets say one kilometer, before the car reaches the position of the restaurant. If the car changes direction, then, the documents on the array are adjusted consequently; the latest displayed can remain on the array while the queued of restaurants to come next will be modified in accordance with the new trajectory. The same principle is applicable from a desktop computer by dragging or pinpointing various positions on the map and obtaining a dynamically updated array of documents.
• FIG. 22 shows a first array ofdocuments462 where every document is illustrated with a set of attributes464 (represented by capital letters) respectively associated therewith. Theintersecting document466 has the attribute “E” associated therewith. A selection of the attribute “E” fromdocument466 is used in the displaying of a second intersecting array ofdocuments468. It can be appreciated that all documents part ofarray468 have the attribute “E” in common (as indicated on a dark background). The intersectingarray468 also showsversions470 of a document disposed in an exemplary array using achronological order472. Each array ofdocuments462,468 can be navigated along.
• The documents ofFIG. 22 have their respective associated attributes graphically associated therewith. Each attribute is selectable by a user to build a query for determining which documents will be part of the other array used to present the results from the query. The attributes could also be shown in a table or a menu disposed next to, in the neighbourhood of, on in graphical connection with their related documents and be presented in a fashion adapted to be acted upon by a user.
• Focussing onFIG. 23 it is possible to appreciate a first array ofdocuments490 where documents are disposed in accordance with an ordering represented byarrow492. Onedocument494 from the first array ofdocuments490 is an intersecting location for a second intersecting array ofdocuments496 where documents are disposed in accordance with an ordering represented byarrow498. Theintersecting document494 is the only document from which is drawn alink500 to an associatedgeographical position502 illustrated on amap504 of suburban Baie-Saint-Paul.
• Turning now toFIG. 24 illustrating thesame map504 of suburban Baie-Saint-Paul with a plurality of arrays ofdocuments510,512,514 disposed along an ordering represented byarrow492. Each one of the arrays ofdocuments510,512,514 are groupingdocuments516 in accordance with a specific query. The query might be based, inter alia, upon a selection of an attribute, a combination of attributes or in respect with a geographical position. Eacharray510,512,514, and/or each documents contained in thearrays510,512,514 could be linked to themap504 if so is the desire of the viewer. Some or all links could be seen simultaneously. Conversely, only thelink518 associated with a selecteddocument520 could be displayed to prevent displaying too many links at the same time and thus prevent confusion.
• FIG. 25 is quite similar toFIG. 24 but it illustrates that each array ofdocuments510,512,514 can be longitudinally displaced independently from one another with their associatednavigation arrows530.
• Array of Documents with Past-Present-Future
• Referring toFIG. 26, an array ofdocuments550 includes a series ofdocuments516 before thepresent separation mark554, on thepast portion552 of thearray550. Additional documents on the array of documents, not displayed, are identified by continuingarrows556,558, disposed on both sides of the displayeddocuments552. A selection of apast navigation arrows560,562, will displace the displayed documents in the direction of the selectednavigation arrow560,562 so thatother documents516 become visible.
• Fivedocuments516 orapplications572 are displayed on thepresent portion556 of thearray550. Thepresent navigation arrows568,570 are not in a selectable state because there is noother document516, orapplication572, that are not already displayed on thepresent portion556 of the array of documents. Thefuture portion576 of thearray550, separated by thefuture separation mark574, displays threedocuments516, or agenda items580, having an occurrence in the future.Additional documents516 or agenda items580 are available as indicated by continuingarrows556,558.Future navigation arrows582,584 are available to move along documents and agenda items on the future portion of thearray550.
• Turning toFIG. 27, thepresent separation mark554 and thefuture separation mark574 are moveable to define the space allowed for each portion (i.e. past, present, future) of thearray550. Thepresent portion566 is now wide enough to accommodate eightdocuments516 and/or runningapplications572. The width of thepast portion552 and thefuture portion576 has been modified accordingly since the width of the exemplary display (in this case the sheet) remains the same. It can also be noted that the mostrecent documents516 from thepast portion552 are displayed since the continuingarrow558 has disappeared and only continuingarrow556 remains to navigate the other remaining documents. Accordingly,past navigation arrow560 is active whilearrow562 is not active. The continuingarrows556 and558 could also be utilized for navigating the array andnavigation arrows560,562 could be eliminated.
• Referring toFIG. 28, the number ofdocuments516 and/orapplications572 in thepresent portion556 has increased and there is not enough room to display all the documents. Continuingarrows556,558 are now displayed thus indicating there is more information available on each side of thepresent portion556. Meanwhile, thepresent navigation arrows568,570 are active thus ready to move the information along thepresent portion556 of thearray550.
• FIGS. 26 through 29 illustrate the display of only onearray550 at the time.FIG. 29 illustrates a case where the distinct arrays550.1,550.2 and550.3 are juxtaposed to each other on the same display. It can be appreciated that thepresent separation mark554 and thefuture separation mark574 are combined across many arrays.
• A set of three juxtaposed arrays of documents inFIG. 30 shares a single set ofnavigation arrows600,602,604. Onearray606 is selected and appears indarker lines612 to visually distinguish the selectedarray606 from the other non-selected arrays608,610.Navigation arrows600,602,604 will affect the selectedarray606 to navigate through the documents disposed onarray606. The other documents on non-selected arrays602,604 are not moving with thenavigation arrows600,602,604.
• Switching now toFIG. 31 that illustrates an array ofdocuments620 that displays a plurality ofdocuments622 accompanied bynavigation arrows624,626,628 that are adapted to navigate on more than one axis.Array620 offers documents displayed on asingle axis630. Conversely,array640 displays a plurality ofdocuments632 along thefirst axis630 and along anon-parallel axis650. In the present situation, documents disposed alongaxis650 are intersecting the documents disposed alongaxis630 atdocument624. As explained earlier in the description theintersecting document624 has a commonality with the documents displayed alongaxis650. When documents are displayed on more than oneaxis630,650 thenavigation arrows624,626,628 are enabled in many directions in accordance with theaxes630,650.
• FIG. 33 illustrates thepast portion680, thepresent portion682 and thefuture portion684 of an array of documents in accordance with the present invention. As opposed to what has been previously described, thedifferent portions680,682,684 are disposed juxtaposed one to the other. Thepast portion680 is the selected portion as illustrated with thedarker color686 and is therefore associated with thenavigation arrows690. Thepast portion680 is displaying the most recent documents as indicated by the missing continuing arrow on theright side692 although other non-displayed documents remains to be seen from the left side as indicated by continuingarrow694. Thepresent portion682 displays all the documents/applications698 as indicated by the omission of continuingarrows700 on each side. The agenda is quite full though and thefuture portion684 is crowded with documents to review702, people to contact704, andmeetings706. The focus is presently put on Jul. 21, 2008 (assuming today is before Jul. 21, 2008) defined between twotime separators710. Again, the continuingarrows712,714 on each side of thefuture portion684 indicate that there are non-displayed information of both sides of thefuture portion684.
• Still onFIG. 33, on thepast portion680, onedocument720 has been selected and magnified indisplay area722. Similarly, thepresent portion682 has a selectedapplication726 magnified at display area728 (notice the landscape orientation of theapplication726 tailored to fit the size of a display). Finally, meeting706 from thefuture portion684 is magnified atdisplay area730.
• Project Management
• Studies have shown that new ideas are actually build-ups of other elements of information linked together by the human brain. It is also through a similar mechanism that conclusions are reached in a police enquiry for instance. Data that is, at a first glance, irrelevant by itself may prove valuable when put in perspective with other data.
• FIG. 34 shows three arrays of information,740,742 and744 that could be from three different sources or from a single source that has been sorted through different sets of attributes. d1, d2, d3 and d4 are days, separated by vertical dotted lines. All three arrays of documents are shown with no variation of spacing due to different length of times between documents. In that context documents746,748,750 show no particular sense.FIG. 35 shows the same documents, with their arrays showing variations in elapsed time between documents. Furthermore, the three arrays are aligned to one another by sharing common vertical dotted lines, thus showing any given day's documents next to the ones from another array. In such a context, the same threedocuments746,748,750 can more easily be linked together and lead to a “conclusion”:752. This simplified example shows the usefulness of positioning multiple arrays of documents in a manner to promote the establishment of links. Here, the parallel has been made through a common (intrinsic) ordering (time) but other ones could be used.
• The influence of actions, events and contacts in knowledge level increase is significant. An important source of information acquisition (through contacts) in the workplace are meetings. Meeting summary (minutes) received after a given meeting can be considered as regular document for instance. On the other hand, a meeting that still hasn't been held cannot be considered as a document in its own right; it is still in the future, thus still “virtual” even though a convocation notice and an agenda may have been received for it.FIG. 36 shows a typical array ofdocuments754 spanning over four days, d−1, d0, d+1 and d+2, where d0 is the present day. A convocation C756 and anagenda A758 have been received on the previous day (d−1) for a meeting to be held three days later (d+2). Because it is in the future, the meeting itself appears as a “ghost” document E760 (ideally showing different visual characteristics not illustrated onFIG. 36) displayed in the future onday d+2. Because one usually wishes to prepare for a given meeting, he or she will assign tasks (or actions) to him or herself in preparation for the event.FIG. 37 shows such a foreseenevent E764 as a “ghost” document with an array ofinformation762. Twotasks766,768 are linked to that event and appear as an automatically generatedsecond array763. One of thetasks766,768 may be completed766 and shows different visual characteristics for a non-completed task768. In a similar fashion, and following a similar logic, an event in the past may have different visual characteristics from one that still has to occur.FIG. 38 shows such a situation where three documents from an array of documents770 are event representations, where document771 is an event from the day before (d−1) and documents772 and773 are yet to happen events, due to take place two days later (d+2).
• FIG. 39 shows three arrays of documents774,775,776 in parallel and sharing common day “borders” d. The first array774 shows all event-related documents:convocations C777,780,781,agenda A778 and reference material R779. The second array775 shows all event-related tasks T wheretasks782,783,784 are completed tasks andtasks T785,786 are yet to be completed. This second array775 is actually a linear, time based, representation of a “to do” list. The third array776 shows, in a fashion similar toFIG. 37, all events E overtime,787,788,789,790,791, and792, respectively. Position ofevent787 above horizontal line L indicates en event (or a meeting) called for by the user as opposed to events where the user has been invited (788,789,790,791, and792). In a similar fashion, the second array775 could also be horizontally split and distinguish self-assigned tasks from tasks requested by someone else. A “due date” could also be considered as a virtual future event.
• Dissimilar rules of sorting. To further increase the likelihood of establishing links, a user may chose to generate a second array where the sorting is done through a different attribute.FIG. 40 shows a typical 2 array ofdocuments793 displaying documents where time T is the sorting attribute for both axes. In such case, the period borders “b” never crosses each other.FIG. 41 shows a 2 arrays ofdocuments795 where time T is the sorting attribute for the main (horizontal) array while a statistical value S is the sorting attribute for the second array. For instance it may be the number of common attributes with theintersection element794. In such cases it becomes possible for period borders “b” to cross each other.
• Targeting Audiences and Displaying Advertising
• The disposition of documents on an array of documents provides a cognitive advantage because it disposes and displays documents in a meaningful way. An array of documents can group a plurality of documents together on the basis of a commonality. The commonality is represented in the present embodiment by an attribute. Thus, the array of documents meaningfully displays a group of documents having at least the same attribute in common. Because an attribute is selected to filter which documents will be part of an array of document it becomes possible to help to better target the advertising to be displayed along with the array of documents. A user who has selected an attribute is more likely to have an interest into advertising directed to this particular attribute. Using the selected characterization attributes is therefore desirable to focus advertisings on a more precise audience.
• For example, an advertiser chooses a set of characterization attributes, related to his/her product/service, that are more likely to be selected by users that are potentially good customers for the product/service to be sold. Each time a user selects an attribute the advertising(s) from the advertiser who have pre-selected this attribute are displayed. The advertisings are preferably displayed either among the documents along the array created in accordance with the to the selected attribute by the user or at any other place on a display. The user can click on the advertising and, for example, be directed to the website of the advertiser. The product could also be bought directly by clicking on the advertising.
• Advertising made this way takes into consideration the user's interests and behaviors to avoid over exposing or bothering the user with too many misdirected advertisings. The computer tool takes into consideration the time logged in, the number of documents viewed, the speed of navigation on the array, the number of attributes selected, the number of displayed arrays, keywords documents visible on the display, user's preference settings, the day of the week and the time of the day among other helpful data helping to adjust the user's exposure to advertising. The user might also decide what type of advertising he/she wants and how it will be presented. The user can decide to receive numerous adds in exchange of other advantages. The user can also decide not to see any advertising at all.
• The advertiser is billed (electronically or not) according to a function including the number of times his/her advertising has been shown. An additional fee is charged to the advertised if the user clicked the advertising. All money transfer can be made electronically illustratively using Paypal™, credit cards or by any other electronic money transfer.
• The advertising can be a picture, an image, a movie clip, an animation a selectable means or any other graphical or multimedia file known in the communication industry. The advertising is associated with related attributes. This association will influence when the advertising is displayed and along with which array of documents. Because the advertising is displayed in correlation with attributes selected by viewers it increases the precision of the advertising display by directing the advertising to only viewers who have shown interest into a specific attribute.
• FIG. 42 is an exemplary flow chart that illustrates one possible way to influence the display of advertising in cooperation with an array of documents. The sequence begins800 with the definition of anattribute802 if it does not already exists. The advertiser associates the advertising with the definedattribute804 and optionally decides what periodicity is to be used for the display of theadvertising806. Next, a viewer selects the defined attribute810—normally among a wider choice of attributes. An array of documents is created812 to group relevant documents having the selected attribute in common. The array thus created is displayed with the advertising thereon814 in accordance with the defined periodicity before the sequence ends816.
• An alternate sequence is illustrated onFIG. 43 where the sequence starts820 with an advertiser that defines an attribute822 and associates the definedattribute824 with theadvertising824. A viewer, or a potential client, selects an attribute in a quest for filtering documents ofinterest826. If the selected attribute is not the definedattribute828 then the advertising is not displayed along with thedocuments832. Conversely, if the selected attribute is similar to the definedattribute828 the array is created and groups the documents having the selected attribute in common830 and the advertising is displayed either next to thearray834 or on thearray836 before the sequence ends838.
• Turning now toFIG. 44, an array ofdocuments850 is illustrated with a series ofdocuments852 and an advertising854 identified with abold frame858. Navigation means856 and means for identifying continuingdocuments860 are also depicted onFIG. 36. Alternatively, as illustrated inFIG. 45, another array ofdocuments880 is illustrated with a series ofdocuments882 and anadvertising884 disposed along with thearray880. Theadvertising884 identified with abold frame858 on an area that suits the size of the advertising. Navigation means856 and means for identifying continuingdocuments860 are also depicted on this figure.
• The attribute that is defined by the advertiser is correlated with synonyms and groups of other attributes related to the defined attribute. This correlation allows a user to select an attribute that is different than the attribute defined by the advertiser and, if there is correlation between the selected attribute and the defined attribute, to display the advertising.
• An alternate illustrative embodiment is depicted onFIG. 46. Four arrays ofdocuments900,902,904,906 are juxtaposed one next to the other and form a matrix like arrangement. Eacharray900,902,904,906 is provided with means for identifying non displayed continuingdocuments860. Thefirst array900 groups documents sharing a commonality and displaysrepetitive advertisings920 disposed at an interval of each twodocuments908. Theadvertising920 has been associated with the attribute representing the commonality and is displayed along with relevant documents. Thesecond array902 groups documents having the same attribute associated therewith. Advertising922 has been previously associated with the same attribute and is displayed along with the documents sharing the same attribute on thearray902 grouping documents having the attribute in common. Onarray902, a single advertising922 is shown. The advertising could alternatively be displayed next to thearray902 at display area928 or be shown both on thearray902 and on the display area928.
• Array904 illustrates twoadvertisings930,932, from distinct advertisers. The twoadvertisings930,932 are sharing the same attribute as the attribute selected for generating thearray904. The twoadvertisings930,932 are disposed every five documents912 and repeated in sequence every other five documents. More advertisings can be associated with the selected attribute and a rotation of all the different advertisings would occur every five documents.
• Still onFIG. 38,array906 displays twoadvertisings940,942 located on each side of thearray906. Whether thedocuments944 are scrolled left or right with the navigation means856 they remain in place just like the documents were flowing underneath as illustrated witharrow946.
• Other Potentially Claimable Subject Matter
• A system for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements, the system comprising: a geographical position defining module adapted to receive instructions about a geographical position; an array defining module adapted to enable an array of user-selectable element base, at least in part, on the geographical position; and a display module adapted to display a graphical representation of the geographical position and the array of user-selectable elements.
• An interface comprising: a map display area adapted to display a map in accordance with a geographical position; and an array display area adapted to display an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements being adapted to group user-selectable elements related to the geographical position.
• A method comprising: receiving instructions providing data about a geographical position; and displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements being adapted to group user-selectable elements related to the geographical position.
• One or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide a method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements, the method comprising: displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements defining a past portion, a present portion and a future portion.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are documents.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of preceding claim, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are multimedia assets.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are menu items.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the array of user-selectable elements is a substantially linear distribution of user-selectable elements.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein at least one of the portion has an adjustable width.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein at least one of the portions is provided with a continuity identifier indicating additional user-selectable elements are not visible.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein scrolling is adapted to be performed in a single portion at the time.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein at least one of the portions has a navigation tool associated therewith.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the portions are adapted to be independently selected to associate a navigation tool therewith.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the portions are separated.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the array of user-selectable elements is a plurality of arrays of user-selectable elements.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the plurality of arrays of user-selectable elements is stackable.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein each array from the plurality of arrays of user-selectable elements is independently selectable.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein at least one array of user-selectable elements is displayable at an angle from another array of user-selectable elements.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, comprising a navigation tool adapted to scroll through user-selectable elements that are displayed at various angles from each other.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim wherein at least two portions are adapted to be superposed one next to the other.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein user-selectable elements are adapted to be magnified.
• A system adapted to provide a method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements, the system comprising: a display module adapted to display an array of user-selectable elements; a memory module adapted to store data about the array of user-selectable elements; a processing module adapted to enable a method, the method comprising: displaying the array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements defining a past portion, a present portion and a future portion.
• An interface comprising: a display area adapted to display an array of user-selectable elements defining a past portion, a present portion and a future portion.
• A method comprising: displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements defining a past portion, a present portion and a future portion.
• One or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide a method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements, the method comprising: associating an advertising with an attribute; receiving instructions about the selection of the attribute; displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements grouping user-selectable element having the attribute in common; and displaying the advertising.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are documents.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are multimedia assets.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are menu items.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the array of user-selectable elements is a substantially linear distribution of user-selectable elements.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the advertising is disposed next to the array of user-selectable elements.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the advertising is disposed on the array of user-selectable elements.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the advertising is disposed on the array of user-selectable elements.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the advertising is repetitively disposed on the array of user-selectable elements at an interval therebetween.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the advertising is a plurality of advertising and are disposed on the array of user-selectable elements at an interval therebetween.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the advertising is a plurality of advertising and are disposed on the array of user-selectable elements at an interval therebetween.
• The one or more tangible machine-readable media having encoded machine-executable instructions adapted to provide the method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements of a preceding claim, wherein the advertising is not simultaneously displayed with the array of user-selectable elements.
• A system adapted to provide a method for displaying arrays of user-selectable elements, the system comprising: associating an advertising with an attribute; receiving instructions about the selection of the attribute; displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements grouping user-selectable element having the attribute in common; and displaying the advertising.
• An interface comprising: a display area adapted to display an array of user-selectable elements and an advertising.
• A method comprising: displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements defining a past portion, a present portion and a future portion.
• The description and the drawings that are presented above are meant to be illustrative of the present invention. They are not meant to be limiting of the scope of the present invention. Modifications to the embodiments described may be made without departing from the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims:

Claims (20)

1. One or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving instructions that provides data about a position; and

displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements being adapted to group user-selectable elements related to the position.

2. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are adapted to be associated with attributes, at least some of the attributes being adapted to be selectable.

3. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein the array is a substantially longitudinal alignment of user-selectable elements.

4. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 3, wherein the user-selectable elements are disposed along a timeline.

5. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are a computer files.

6. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are a documents.

7. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are a multimedia assets.

8. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein an altitude, from which a map adapted to display the position, is adapted to discriminate the user-selectable elements.

9. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein an altitude, from which a map adapted to display the position, is adapted to discriminate an attribute.

10. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein the array of user-selectable elements is a first array of user-selectable elements and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a second array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements being adapted to group user-selectable elements.

11. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 10, wherein the second array of user-selectable elements is displayable at an angle with respect with the first array of user-selectable elements.

12. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 10, wherein the second array of user-selectable elements is displayable parallel with respect to the first array of user-selectable elements.

13. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein the position is adapted to comprise an azimuth.

14. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein the position is adapted to comprise an angle from the horizon.

15. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein the position is a celestial position.

16. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein the position is a geographical position.

17. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein the array of user-selectable elements is graphically associated with the position.

18. The one or more tangible machine-readable media having executable machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method ofclaim 1, wherein at least one user-selectable element is graphically associated with the position.

19. One or more tangible machine-readable media having machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform the method comprising:

displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements defining a past portion, a present portion and a future portion.

20. One or more tangible machine-readable media having machine-executable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform the method comprising:

associating an advertising with an attribute;

receiving instructions about the selection of the attribute;

displaying an array of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements grouping user-selectable element having the attribute in common; and

displaying the advertising in conjunction with the array of user.

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