Method and system for organizing and displaying data

Abstract

A method and system are provided for a user interface. The system can include a plurality of information categories and option nodes organized into a hierarchy. A plurality of menu columns can be contained within a window. The menu columns can each be configured to display a portion of the plurality of categories and option nodes. A first scrolling control can be located adjacent to the plurality of menu columns and be configured to scroll the plurality of menu columns in a defined direction across the screen. A second scrolling control can be located adjacent on an opposite site of the plurality of menu columns. The second scrolling control can be linked to the first scrolling control to enable either scrolling control to be moved in the defined direction in order to scroll the menu columns and unused scrolling control simultaneously.

1 . A user interface on an electronic computing device, comprising:
 a hierarchy of menu columns contained within a window on a display screen associated with the electronic computing device, the hierarchy including a parent menu column and a child menu column and the menu columns each being configured for display to an end user;   a parent scrolling control, located adjacent the parent menu column, configured to scroll the parent menu column in a defined direction across the display screen;   a child scrolling control, located adjacent the child menu column, configured to scroll the child menu column in a defined direction across the display screen;   wherein:
 the parent scrolling control and the child scrolling control operate to independently scroll the respective parent and child menu columns; and 
 user interaction with the user interface is enabled by an input device associated with the electronic computing device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , wherein the child menu column comprises a plurality of child menu columns each having a separate child scrolling control, the separate child scrolling controls being configured to independently scroll a respective child menu column, the user interface further comprising a master child scrolling control configured to scroll all displayed child menu columns in a defined direction across the display screen independently of the parent menu column. 
     
     
         3 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , further comprising a display screen scrolling control configured to simultaneously scroll the window and other content on the display screen outside of the window. 
     
     
         4 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the menu columns are configured to add an additional column for each information category accessed by an end user and additional menu columns are added on a side of the scrolling columns; and   columns other than the additional menu column that are unable to fit within a viewable area of the window are automatically moved off the viewable area to enable an unlimited number of menu columns to be adjacently displayed, and are accessible using a menu scrolling control.   
     
     
         5 . The user interface as in  claim 4 , wherein the columns other than the parent menu column and the additional menu column that are unable to fit within a viewable area of the window are automatically moved off the viewable area to enable an unlimited number of menu columns to be adjacently displayed, such that the parent menu column is always visible. 
     
     
         6 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , wherein the defined direction is vertical. 
     
     
         7 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , wherein the defined direction is horizontal. 
     
     
         8 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , wherein the defined direction is a direction other than vertical or horizontal. 
     
     
         9 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , further comprising an end-user configurable response rate control to control a speed of a response rate for retrieving information from a data repository. 
     
     
         10 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , further comprising an end-user configurable refresh rate control to control a speed of a refresh rate for refreshing information retrieved from a data repository after receiving updated data. 
     
     
         11 . The user interface as in  claim 10 , wherein each menu column is independently refreshable after receiving the updated data. 
     
     
         12 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , further comprising an end-user configurable download speed control configured to control a rate at which data is downloaded into an expanding column. 
     
     
         13 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , further comprising a data speed control configured to control a speed at which data is downloaded for display with respect to a user's control event. 
     
     
         14 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , further comprising an end-user configurable column movement control for controlling a speed of column expansion or contraction as a user navigates the menu hierarchy. 
     
     
         15 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , further comprising an end-user configurable menu column interaction control configured to enable an end user to select whether the information categories in the menu columns are activated using point-and-click or mouse-over interface actions. 
     
     
         16 . The user interface as in  claim 1 , wherein the parent and child menu columns each comprise a column height and the window comprises a window height, and wherein when the column height of the parent or child menu is less than the window height an available column space is defined between a bottom portion of the parent or child menu and a bottom portion of the window, the user interface further comprising an advertisement displayed within the available column space, the advertisement being selected or sized according to the available column space. 
     
     
         17 . A user interface on an electronic computing device, comprising:
 a hierarchy of menu columns contained within a window on a display screen associated with the electronic computing device, the hierarchy including a parent menu column and a child menu column and the menu columns each being configured for display to an end user;   wherein:
 the menu columns are configured to add an additional column for each information category accessed by an end user and additional menu columns are added on a side of the scrolling columns; 
 columns other than the parent menu column and the additional menu column that are unable to fit within a viewable area of the window are automatically moved off the viewable area to enable an unlimited number of menu columns to be adjacently displayed, and are accessible using a menu scrolling control, and the parent menu column is always visible; and 
 user interaction with the user interface is enabled by an input device associated with the electronic computing device. 
   
     
     
         18 . A method for controlling a user interface configured to access a plurality of information categories in a database, comprising:
 enabling access to the database via a graphical user interface;   presenting at least one column, including a parent column, containing information categories to an end user via the graphical user interface;   displaying further related information in an additional column adjacent to an active column when an information category is selected in the active column;   enabling the displayed columns to move in a defined direction when a display screen is filled to enable an unlimited number of additional columns to be adjacently displayed, each additional column added to the display separately in response to a separate information category selection in different active columns; and   enabling at least one of the columns to be scrolled using a scroll bar associated with the at least one of the columns;   wherein:
 the at least one of the columns associated with the scroll bar is a column other than the parent column and is scrollable independently of the parent column; 
 columns that are unable to fit within a viewable area of the window are moved off the viewable area to make room for one or more additional columns within the viewable area; and 
 columns that are moved off the viewable area are accessible using the scroll bar or a separate navigation bar.