Apparatus, Method and Computer-Implemented Program for Editable Categorization

Abstract

The information appliance displays content in a visually perceptible grid from which the user selects a target content and upon selection of the processor automatically identifies related content each with an associated relatedness score. Movement by the user of the target content causes the related content to move and follow the target content as if attracted by an invisible spring force or tensile force. The system thus presents the user with a graphical representation of moving items of content which are attracted to the related content based on the degree of relatedness. In this way the user quickly learns how to control selection and organization of related content by mimicking movement of physical objects acting under kinematic forces that mimic natural objects.

1 . A method comprising:
 displaying items of content as individual graphical images organized according to a first spatial arrangement upon a display screen;   upon selection of a target content from the displayed items of content, employing a processor to identify items of related content in connection to the target content according to relatedness of each item of related content to the target content;   associating a physical parameter with each item of related content based on the relatedness thereof; and   upon movement of the target content, displaying the items of related content to move and follow the target content on the display screen, where each item of related content proceeds as if it were attracted to the target content by a force characterized by the physical parameter thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of displaying the items of related content employs a computer-generated following algorithm that simulates motion of an attractive force between an item of related content and the target content. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of displaying the items of related content employs a computer-generated following algorithm that simulates a spring force that pulls the item of related content towards the target content. 
     
     
         4 . The method  claim 3  wherein the step of causing items of related content to move employs a computer-generated following algorithm that further simulates a frictional force that retards movement effected by said spring force. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using the processor to generate and display connecting lines between the target content and each item of related content, where the lines are rendered upon the electronic display screen using visually perceptible features to denote different degrees of relatedness, based on the relatedness score associated with each item of related content. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further including employing user-controllable means for defining a threshold below which items of content are deemed not related. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said user-controllable means is a graphically displayed, processor generated control that the user manipulates to manually set the threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said user-controllable means is a processor generated threshold based upon the speed by which the user moves the target content. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising responding to user entry of tag whereby the displayed items of related content are associated with said tag and organized as a category group 
     
     
         10 . A method using a processor with associated electronic display screen to gather and organize items of content comprising:
 displaying the items of content as individual graphical images organized according to a first spatial arrangement upon the electronic display screen;   responding to user selection of a target content, selected from said displayed items of content, by employing a processor to identify items of related content according to a predefined relatedness metric and associating a relatedness score with each item of related content;   associating a tensile force with each item of related content based upon that item's relatedness score;   responding to user movement of the target content by causing items of related content to move and follow the target content, where movement of each item of related content proceeds as if attracted to the target content by a force equal to that item's associated tensile force;   displaying the items of related content upon the electronic display screen as a spatial grouping around the target content whereby items of related content having a greater tensile force are positioned generally closer to the target content than related content having a lesser tensile force.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step of causing items of related content to move employs a computer-generated following algorithm that simulates motion of an attractive force between an item of related content and the target content. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step of causing items of related content to move employs a computer-generated following algorithm that simulates a spring force that pulls the item of related content towards the target content. 
     
     
         13 . The method  claim 12  wherein the step of causing items of related content to move employs a computer-generated following algorithm that further simulates a velocity-sensitive dashpot force that retards movement effected by said spring force. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising using the processor to generate and display connecting lines between the target content and each item of related content, where the lines are rendered upon the electronic display screen using visually perceptible features to denote different degrees of relatedness, based on the relatedness score associated with each item of related content. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  further including employing user-controllable means for defining a threshold below which items of content are deemed not related. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said user-controllable means is a graphically displayed, processor generated control that the user manipulates to manually set the threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said user-controllable means is a processor generated threshold based upon the speed by which the user moves the target content. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising responding to user entry of tag whereby the displayed items of related content are associated with said tag and organized as a category group 
     
     
         19 . A method for categorizing content using a graphical user interface, comprising:
 displaying a plurality of icons in a content selectable area of a display, each icon representing a selectable content object;   visually depicting movement of a selected icon from the content selection area to a grouping area of the display that is spatially distinct from the content selection area, where the selected icon was selected by a user from the plurality of icons;   calculating a correlation metric for each non-selected icon in the plurality of icons, where the correlation metric quantifies a correlation between the selected icon and the non-selected icon;   selecting a subset of the plurality of the icons having a correlation metric that exceeds a threshold;   visually depicting movement of icons in the subset of icons from the content selection area to the grouping area of the display, where movement of the icons in the subset of icons is coordinated with movement of the selected icon; and   providing the user with a perceptible indicator of the correlation metric for each of the icons in the subset of icons while visually depicting movement of the icons in the subset of icons.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein calculating a correlation metric further comprises determining a spatial distance on the display between the selected icon and each of the non-selected icons and calculating the correlation metric for each non-selected icon using the distance between the selected icon and the non-selected icon. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  further comprises moving the subset of icons based on a tensile force between each of the subset and the selected icon, where the tensile force is a function of the correlation metric. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  further comprises displaying a visible connection between the selected icon and each of the icons in the subset of icons while visually depicting movement of the icons in the subset of icons. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  further comprises displaying a line from the selected icon and to each of the icons in the subset of icons, where at least one of width or brightness of the line to a given icon in the subset of icons is based on the correlation metric for the given icon, thereby providing the user with a perceptible indicator. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  further comprises visually depicting movement of icons in the subset of icons as following the selected icon from the content selection area to the grouping area. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  further comprises setting velocity at which a given icon in the subset of icons moves based on the correlation metric for the given icon, thereby providing the user with a perceptible indicator. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19  further comprises adjusting a value of the threshold in accordance with input from the user. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19  further comprises displaying a given icon in the subset of icons spatially in relation to the selected icon in the grouping area in accordance with the correlation metric for the given icon.