Systems and Methods for Gathering and/or Presenting Information

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for presenting a quantity of information in a single tool. Such a tool includes a map of various objects, the objects having themes relating to a given overall concept, wherein at least one object contains information relating to other objects that have a relationship with that object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for presenting a quantity of information, the system comprising:
 a computer which produces a single-page dynamic map of a plurality of variable fields, the plurality of variable fields including a resource field including at least one resource type, a client field including at least one client type, and an access point field including at least one access point type, each type within each variable field having a type identifier related to the field identifier, the map having a theme relating to an overall concept, the computer aggregating each type of the plurality of variable fields such that the resource field includes a first symbol to connote that the resource field is not operated across all of the plurality of variable fields, the client field includes a second symbol to connote that the client field is not fully funded, and the access point field includes a numeral for each resource type funding the access point field.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each type of the plurality of variable fields is linked to an external source of information that changes a value of the respective type in real time, thereby affecting each value of each type of the plurality of variable fields that relates to the respective type. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the value in each type of the plurality of variable fields is continuously updated in real time. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fields further includes a practice method field including at least one practice method type. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fields further includes a service sector field including at least one service sector type. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fields further includes a system support field including at least one system support type. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one directional line between two of the plurality of types that displays the direction of a flow between the two types. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the concept relates to early childhood development. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the concept relates to a facility licensing and monitoring system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the concept relates to stock valuation. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the concept relates to homeland security. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the concept relates to criminal justice. 
     
     
         13 . A method for presenting a quantity of information at once on a single page, the method comprising:
 determining a plurality of variables that contribute to at least one resource type, at least one client type, at least one access point type;   organizing the variables in a plurality of variable fields, the plurality of variable fields including a resource field including the at least one resource type, a client field including the at least one client type, and an access point field including the at least one access point type, each variable field including a field identifier;   presenting each variable in a map, each variable having a type identifier related to the field identifier; and   identifying each other variable relative to a given variable by providing information relating to the relative variables, including the resource field, the resource field including a first symbol to connote that the resource field is not operated across each of the plurality of variable fields and a funding source relating to at least one type outside the variable field, the client field including a second symbol to connote that the client field is not fully funded, and an access point field including a numeral for each resource field funding the access point field, the map including the type identifiers of each other variable in each other variable field.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising linking each variable within the plurality of variable fields with an external source of information that changes a value of the respective variable in real time. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising gathering information relating to the plurality of variables. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising recalculating the value of each variable that includes the type identifier upon a change in value of the respective variable. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising updating the external source of information. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising displaying the map on a computer. 
     
     
         19 . A method for presenting a quantity of information on a dynamic map, the method comprising:
 determining a plurality of variables that contribute to at least one resource type, at least one client type, at least one access point type;   presenting each variable in a map;   classifying each variable field with a field identifier, each variable having a type identifier related to the respective field identifier; and   presenting each other variable relative to a given variable by providing information relating to the relative variables, including a resource field, the resource field including a first symbol to connote that the resource field is not operated across each of the plurality of variable fields and a funding source relating to at least one type outside the variable field, a client field including a second symbol to connote that the client field is not fully funded, and an access point field including a numeral for each resource field funding the access point field.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising linking each variable within the plurality of variable fields with an external source of information that changes a value of the respective variable in real time, thereby affecting each value of each variable of the plurality of variable fields that relates to the respective variable, wherein the value of each variable of the plurality of variable fields is continuously updated in real time.