Mind Map with Data Feed Linkage and Social Network Interaction

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosed technology comprise a method of augmenting a mind map of a plurality of objects based on at least one data feed. The method comprises providing an interface which contains visual representations of objects and associates semantic data with these objects. The interface allows for a user to access data from a data feed, and it analyzes these data in order to identify additional objects which may be semantically related to the object. A visual representation of the additional object is then augmented with a connector to the original object. Information about the relationships of the objects may be certified automatically or manually.

1 ) A method of augmenting a mind map based on at least one data feed accessed via a network node, where the method comprises:
 a) generating and exhibiting a visual representation of an object;   b) associating semantic data with said object, wherein said semantic data describes a characteristic or feature of said object;   c) receiving from a user identification of at least one said data feed to be accessed via said network node;   d) providing a control that is operable to access data from said at least one data feed including said data feed identified by said user via said network node;   e) analyzing output of said at least one data feed as said output becomes available and identifying, in real-time, at least one additional object which is semantically related to said object; and   f) augmenting said visual representation of said object with a connector from said object to a visual representation of said additional object, said visual representation of said additional object providing a visual indication of a source of said additional object.   
     
     
         2 ) The method of  claim 1 , further comprising ft steps of:
 disambiguating said semantic data corresponding to said object by determining third party data to be related to said object; and   following said disambiguating, updating said visual representation of said object to visually indicate at least one of said semantic data having been disambiguated and a source of said third party data used for said disambiguating.   
     
     
         3 ) The method of  claim 2 , wherein said step of disambiguating data comprises using an object found in another mind map as a data source for disambiguating said semantic data. 
     
     
         4 ) (canceled) 
     
     
         5 ) (canceled) 
     
     
         6 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein a visual representation of said connector comprises a visual representation of at least one of interdependency between said object and said additional object and of information pertaining to a type of an association of which it is representative. 
     
     
         7 ) The method of  claim 6 , wherein said type of association between said object and said additional object is automatically assigned using said semantic data, wherein said semantic data describes a characteristic or feature of said object, and wherein said visual representation of said connector includes a visual indication of a source of said semantic data. 
     
     
         8 ) (canceled) 
     
     
         9 ) (canceled) 
     
     
         10 ) (canceled) 
     
     
         11 ) The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of adding semantic information corresponding to said object by classifying said object as a member of a class, wherein said class has associated semantic information, and providing a visual indication of said class in said visual representation of said object. 
     
     
         12 ) The method of  claim 11 , wherein said classifying comprises classifying said object as a member of a class comprising data representative of time. 
     
     
         13 ) The method of  claim 11 , wherein said classifying comprises classifying said object as a member of a class comprising data associated with individual social networking profiles of people, and data from said social networking platform is imported. 
     
     
         14 ) The method of  claim 11 , wherein said classifying comprises classifying said object as a member of a class comprising data representative of geographic locations. 
     
     
         15 ) (canceled) 
     
     
         16 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said data feed identified by said user comprises data associated with at least one person imported from a third party social networking platform, wherein said at least one person is selected from a group consisting of said user, contacts of said user, and all users of said social networking platform. 
     
     
         17 ) The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 updating said social networking platform data feed identified by said user by importing new data as it becomes available from said third party social networking platform; and   automatically synchronizing said mind map with said updated social networking platform data feed by mapping said new data to said mind map by creating a new object with a corresponding new visual representation thereof as said new object becomes available in said social networking platform data feed, said new visual representation including a visual indication of a source of said new object.   
     
     
         18 ) The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 associating semantic data with said new object and providing a visual indication of said semantic data associated with said new object in said new visual representation; and   augmenting said new visual representation of said new object with a new connector from said new object to a pre-existing visual representation of a preexisting object, said new connector including a visual indication of at least one of a type of association and an interdependency between said new object and said pre-existing object.   
     
     
         19 ) The method of  claim 17 , further comprising, by way of interacting with said visual representation of a said object, a response to data received from said social networking platform data feed selected by said user and instructing said social networking platform to augment said data feed selected by said user with data provided during said interacting. 
     
     
         20 ) A method of providing a visual representation of a plurality of objects where the method comprises:
 a) providing an interface operable to generate a visual representation of a first thoughtbubble, wherein said first thoughtbubble has associated semantic data, which semantic data describes a characteristic or feature of said first thoughtbubble, wherein said visual representation of said first thoughtbubble includes a visual indication of a source of said first thoughtbubble;   b) generating a visual representation of a second thoughtbubble, wherein said second thoughtbubble has associated semantic data, wherein said visual representation of said second thoughtbubble includes a visual indication of a source of said second thoughtbubble;   c) providing an interface operable to generate a visual representation of a connector between said first thoughtbubble and said second thoughtbubble,   d) generating the connector wherein said connector has associated semantic data, said connector having a visual representation including at least one of a visual indication of a source of said semantic data associated with said connector and a visual indication of information pertaining to a type of association represented by said connector;   e) updating said semantic data associated with one or both of said thoughtbubbles based on said semantic data associated with said connector;   f) updating said semantic data associated with said first thoughtbubble based on said semantic data associated with said second thoughtbubble;   g) providing a user interface for user identification of at least one data feed and operable means for accessing data from said at least one data feed identified by said user by way of a network node;   h) analyzing a result provided from said at least one data feed identified by said user as said result becomes available from said at least one data feed, in order to identify information that is semantically related to each of said thoughtbubbles; and   i) augmenting said visual representation of said connector with a visual indicator that is representative of interdependency of said first and second thoughtbubbles with respect to each other.   
     
     
         21 ) The method of  claim 20 , wherein said at least one data feed identified by said user is a social networking data feed and said social networking content is augmented based on an addition of a connector or content within a thoughtbubble in a said visual representation. 
     
     
         22 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of identifying additional objects further comprises identifying semantic data associated with a said additional object based on semantic data associated with an object from a separate data source; wherein said separate data source is a mind map of another user. 
     
     
         23 ) (canceled) 
     
     
         24 ) A method of augmenting a mind map based on at least one data feed accessed via a network node, where the method comprises:
 a) providing a user interface for user addition of a thoughtbubble to a mind map; and   b) automatically augmenting said mind map to include a second thoughtbubble based on said thoughtbubble added by said user,   wherein said second thoughtbubble is created in real-time based on data obtained from at least one user selected data feed; and   wherein a choice is presented to said user for selecting said at least one user selected data feed to comprise a social network and data associated with at least some of said user's pre-selected friends on said social network by way of an interface of said social network.   
     
     
         25 ) The method of  claim 6 , wherein said visual representation of at least one of interdependency between said object and said additional object and of information pertaining to a type of association comprises at least one of a connector color, a connector line type, a connector weight, and a connector line boldness. 
     
     
         26 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said associating semantic data comprises, in a graphic user interface, receiving from a user an indication of at least one type of semantic data to be associated with said object. 
     
     
         27 ) The method of  claim 1 , also comprising a step of, prior to said associating semantic data, allowing a user to disambiguate an identity of said object in order to allow said associating to accurately associate said semantic data with said object.