Systems, methods, and graphical tools for representing connectedness of individuals

Abstract

An embodiment of a system for representing connectedness of individuals includes nodes representative of individuals and strands connecting the nodes. The nodes include a first node representative of a first individual and a second node representative of a second individual. The strands connect the first node and the second node. Each of the strands represents a type of relationship between the first individual and the second individual. In some embodiments, each of the strands is in the form of a distinct data object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory, said memory storing instructions executable by said processor;   data structures contained within said memory, wherein said data structures, when accessed by said processor are configured to display a visual representation of individuals and relationships between individuals;   wherein said data structures further include:
 a plurality of data objects that are graphically illustrated as a plurality of distinct nodes, said plurality of data objects graphically illustrated as said plurality of distinct nodes being representative of a plurality of individuals, said plurality of data objects graphically illustrated as said plurality of distinct nodes including a first data object representative of and including data associated with a first individual and a second data object representative of and including data associated with a second individual, said first data object graphically illustrated as a first node representative of the first individual, said second data object graphically illustrated as a second node representative of the second individual; and 
 a first variable number of independent data objects including data object properties, graphically illustrated as a first variable number of strands connecting said first node and said second node; 
   wherein each independent data object graphically illustrated as a strand of said first variable number of strands being representative of and including data associated with a type of unique relationship between the first individual and the second individual; and   wherein each strand of said first variable number of strands is configured to connect to said plurality of distinct nodes and connects no more than two nodes, and further comprises:
 exactly two end points; 
 an elemental connection that is not further divisible, is independent of all other strands, and does not connect to another strand. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third data object graphically illustrated as a third node representative of a third individual;   a second variable number of independent data objects graphically illustrated as a second variable number of strands connecting said first node and said third node; and   a third variable number of independent data objects graphically illustrated as a third variable number of strands connecting said second node and said third node;   wherein said first node, said second node, said third node, said first variable number of independent data objects graphically illustrated as said first variable number of strands, said second variable number of independent data objects graphically illustrated as said second variable number of strands, and said third variable number of independent data objects graphically illustrated as said third variable number of strands form a link triangle; and   wherein said triangle forms a fundamental closed geometric shape consistently incorporated by said system to graphically describe the interconnectedness of said plurality of distinct nodes, each node representing a data object representing an individual.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the link triangle comprises a biologically fundamental unit of a network structure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the link triangle is combined with other link triangles to form the network structure of link triangles illustrating connectedness of individuals. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said first variable number of independent data objects graphically illustrated as said first variable number of strands includes a first data object graphically illustrated as a first strand representative of a first type of relationship between the first individual and the second individual, a second data object graphically illustrated as a second strand representative of a second type of relationship between the first individual and the second individual, and a third data object graphically illustrated as a third strand representative of a third type of relationship between the first individual and the second individual. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said first strand comprises a natural strand, said second strand comprises a societal strand, and said third strand comprises a religious strand, wherein said first, second, and third strand form a bundle, of strands, said bundle of strands representing a fine-structure of said connection created by said first variable number of strands, wherein said first strand, said second strand, and said third strand terminate between the same first and second node, and where said strands remain separate, and independent of each other, and do not intersect or join each other. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said natural strand represents a natural kin relationship, said societal strand represents a legal relationship, and said religious strand represents a religious relationship. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a data store, wherein each of said first variable number of independent data objects graphically illustrated as said first variable number of strands is stored in said data store in the form of a distinct data object. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said first data object graphically illustrated as said first node includes data identifying a spouse role and a parent role as being associated with the first individual, said second data object graphically illustrated as said second node includes data identifying a spouse role and a parent role as being associated with the second individual, and said third data object graphically illustrated as said third node includes data identifying a child role as being associated with the third individual, the connection between the first individual and the second individual establishing the network structure in the system;
 wherein said first node and said second node are disposed in a first generational layer and said third node is disposed in a second generational layer.   
     
     
         10 . A system for organizing and graphically representing data, comprising:
 a processor;   a memory, said memory storing instructions executable by said processor;   data structures contained within said memory, wherein said data structures, when accessed by said processor are configured to display a visual representation of individuals and relationships between said individuals in a network structure of link triangles;   wherein said data structures further include:   a plurality of object oriented data graphically illustrated as a plurality of distinct nodes which map to said plurality of object oriented data representative of and including data associated with a plurality of individuals, said plurality of object oriented data including a first data object representative of and including data associated with a first individual and a second data object representative of and including data associated with a second individual, said first data object graphically illustrated as a first node representative of the first individual, said second data object graphically illustrated as a second node representative of the second individual; and   a first graphical representation of a variable number of strands representing independent data objects that define connections between said first node and said second node, each of said variable number of strands being representative of and including data associated with a type of relationship between the first node representing the first individual, and the second node representing the second individual;   wherein each of said variable number of strands connect no more than two visually distinctive nodes representing data objects and further includes:   exactly two node terminated end points;   an elemental connection that is not further divisible and cannot connect to another strand; and   wherein the system of nodes and strands constituting a map of nodes and strands to form the network structure of link triangles.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said variable number of strands includes a first strand data object representative of a first type of relationship between the first individual and the second individual, a second strand data object representative of a second type of relationship between the first individual and the second individual, and a third strand data object representative of a third type of relationship between the first individual and the second individual. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said first strand data object represents a natural strand, said second strand data object represents a societal strand, and said third strand data object represents a religious strand. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said natural strand represents a natural kin relationship, said societal strand represents a legal relationship, and said religious strand represents a religious relationship. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a third data object representative of and including data associated with a third individual, said third data object graphically illustrated as a third node representative of the third individual;   a second graphical representation of a variable number of strands representing independent data objects that define connections between said first node and said third node; and   a third graphical representation of a variable number of strands representing independent data objects that define connections between said second node and said third node, wherein said first data object, said second data object, said third data object, said first graphical representation of said variable number of strands, said second graphical representation of said variable number of strands, and said third graphical representation of said variable number of strands define the link triangle; and   wherein said link triangle forms a fundamental closed geometric shape consistently used to graphically describe the interconnectedness of a plurality of nodes, each node representing a data object representing an individual.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said first data object graphically illustrated as said first node includes data identifying a spouse role and a parent role as being associated with the first individual, said second data object graphically illustrated as said second node includes data identifying a spouse role and a parent role as being associated with the second individual, and said third data object graphically illustrated as said third node includes data identifying a child role as being associated with the third individual. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented user interface for visually representing connectedness of individuals, the user interface comprising:
 a display of a link map having at least one link triangle, wherein each of said at least one link triangle includes a plurality of nodes comprising:   a first node representative of a first individual;   a second node representative of a second individual;   a third node representative of a third individual;   wherein said first node identifies a first parent as being associated with the first individual, said second node identifies a second parent as being associated with the second individual, and said third node identifies a child as being associated with the third individual;   a plurality of links including a first link connecting said first node and said second node, a second link connecting said first node and said third node, and a third link connecting said second node and said third node to form said link triangle, said link triangle forming a biologically fundamental unit of a network structure;   wherein said at least one link triangle exactly comprises said first node that identifies said first parent, said second node that identifies said second parent, and said third node that identifies said child;   wherein each link of said plurality of links comprises a plurality of relationship strands;   wherein each relationship strand of said plurality of relationship strands comprises at least one distinct data object including link-based information, and data object cross-references from a strand data object to a node data object for each of said plurality of nodes connected by said distinct data objects; and   wherein each relationship strand of said plurality of relationship strands is configured to connect to said plurality of nodes and connects no more than two nodes.   
     
     
         17 . The user interface of  claim 16 , wherein each link of said plurality of links connects exactly two nodes of said plurality of nodes. 
     
     
         18 . The user interface of  claim 16 , wherein each said link of said plurality of links comprises at least one strand representative of at least one type of relationship between two of the individuals. 
     
     
         19 . The user interface of  claim 18 , wherein each said relationship strand is in the form of a distinct data object. 
     
     
         20 . The user interface of  claim 18 , wherein said plurality of relationship strands comprises a first relationship strand representative of a first type of relationship between the same two individuals and a second relationship strand representative of a second type of relationship between the same two individuals. 
     
     
         21 . The user interface of  claim 20 , wherein said plurality of relationship strands includes a third relationship strand representative of a third type of relationship between the same two individuals. 
     
     
         22 . The user interface of  claim 16 , wherein said first node identifies a spouse as being associated with the first individual, and said second node identifies a spouse as being associated with the second individual. 
     
     
         23 . The user interface of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of said plurality of links comprises a pseudo-link representative of an unknown number of inter-generational links that connect two of said plurality of nodes.