Methods and devices for mapping data files

Abstract

A method of mapping interconnections between a plurality, of data files, such as files of the world wide web. The method comprises a step of, for a first file, in a display area displaying a first region. Then, according to a first distance scale, displaying one or more second regions, which respectively represent one or more second files logically related to the first file, for example by hyperlinks. The second regions are spatially related in, a display to the first region. In (n−1) further steps, i=2, . . . , n, the method displays according to an i-th distance scale smaller than the (i−1)-th distance scale one or more (i+l)-th regions. Each of these (i+l)-th regions respectively represent one or more (i+l)-th files which are logically related to the i-th file, and they are spatially related on a display to the i-th region representing that i-th file.

1 . A method of mapping hyperlinks between a plurality of data files comprising:
 a step of, for a first file, in a display area displaying a first region and one or more second regions, said second regions respectively representing one or more second files which are accessible from the i-th file by a hyperlink, and being spatially related to the first region, the sizes of said second regions being according to a first distance scale; and   (n−1) further steps, i=2, . . . , n, of, for each i-th file, displaying one or more (i+1)-th regions, said (i+1)-th regions respectively representing one or more (i+1)-th files which are accessible from the i-th file by a hyperlink to the (i+1)-th file, and being spatially related to the i-th region representing that i-th file, the sizes of said (i+1)-th regions being according to an i-th distance scale smaller than the (i−1)-th distance scale.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , in which the respective sizes of the (i+1)-th regions of a given i-th file are the i-th distance scale multiplied by value which is a function of a variable characterizing the respective (i+1)-th file. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , in which said distance scales are chosen to decrease with i according to a predetermined relation such that irrespective of the value of n the total area of the display never exceeds a predetermined value. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the distance scales are chosen such that the total area of the one or more (i+1)-th regions for each i-th file is less than the area of the i-th region representing the i-th file. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1  in which said hyperlinks are hypertext links. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , in which said data files are files of the world wide web. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the plurality of files are provided by a plurality of spatially separated servers. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1  in which said second regions are spatially arranged relative to each other, with an angular relationship determined by a rule, and for i=2, . . . , n, said (i+1)-th regions are spatially arranged relative to each other with an angular relationship determined by said rule. 
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 8  in which said rule is in relation to a predefined direction in the display area, whereby the angular relationships of the (i+1)-th regions are determined in relation to the predetermined direction. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein if a given one of said files is a frame set, the region which represents the file indicates this. 
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10  in which the region representing an i-th file which is a frame set partitioned into l sections (k=l, . . . l, the respective ith region which represents the i-th file is partitioned into l sections (k=l, . . . , l), the (i+l)-th regions which represent those files which are linked to the i-th file by anchors within the k-th section of the i-th file being within the k-th section of the i-th region. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the first file is a data file which corresponds to a present browser location of a user. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12  which is performed upon the present web or system browser location of the user changing. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one criterion is used to identify a subset of (i+l)-th regions logically related to the i-th file, the method not displaying regions for said subset of identified (i+l)-th files. 
   
   
       15 . A method of mapping logical relations between a plurality of data files comprising:
 a step of, for a first file, in a display area displaying a first region and, one or more second regions, said second regions respectively representing one or more second files logically related to the first file, being spatially arranged in relation to the first region, and being spatially arranged relative to each other with an angular relationship determined by a rule, and   (n−1) further steps, i=2, . . . , n, of, for each i-th file, displaying one or more (i+l)-th regions, said (i+l)-th regions respectively representing one or more (i+l)-th files which are logically related to the i-th file, being spatially arranged in relation to the i-th region, and being spatially arranged relative to each other with an angular relationship determined by said rule;   said rule being in relation to a predefined direction in the display area, whereby for i=l, . . . n the relative angular locations of the (i+l)-th regions are determined in relation to the predetermined direction.   
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein said second regions are displayed according to a first distance scale, and for each i-th file said (i+l)-th regions are displayed according to a respective i-th distance scale smaller than the respective (i−l)-th distance scale. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein said second regions have a size according to said first distance scale and said (i+l)-th regions have a size according to said i-th distance scale. 
   
   
       18 . A method of mapping a plurality of data files comprising the steps of:
 generating a display of the interconnections between the plurality of data files by:   a step of, for a first file, in a display area displaying a first region and one or more second regions, which respectively represent one or more second files logically related to the first file, and which are spatially related to the first region; and   (n−1) further steps, i=2, . . . , n, of, for each i-th file, displaying one or more (i+l)-th regions, which respectively represent one or more (i+l)-th files which are logically related to the i-th file, and which are spatially related to the i-th region representing that i-th file; and   upon said user controlling an indicator device so that a position within the map determined by the physical arrangement of said indicator device is within a said region representing a j-th data file generating for each of one or more related data files which have a predetermined logical connection to the (j)-th file a respective additional region including data indicating the significance of said respective connected file.   
   
   
       19 . A method of moving to a file, comprising generating by a method according to  claim 18  a map of a plurality of data files having said file as one of said (j+l)-th files, the method further comprising upon the user supplying an additional control signal when the position determined by the physical arrangement of said indicator is a position corresponding to that (j+l)-th file, moving to that (j+l)-th file. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 18  in which said indicator device is a mouse, and said additional control signal includes a mouse click motion.