System and method for collaborative knowledge structure creation and management

Abstract

A collaborative, semantic-based knowledge structure creation and management system and method are provided. The system and method may include knowledge structures which include concept based maps which may be linked according to topic, relationship types, conceptual equivalence, and temporally. The knowledge structures may be managed by users, wherein users may perform at least one of adding a new concept, creating a new relationship, confirming an existing relationship, and breaking an existing relationship.

1 . A method for linking a plurality of data concepts stored on a network, the method comprising:
 receiving temporal information for a first data concept;   receiving temporal information for a second data concept;   temporally linking the first data concept and the second data concept;   graphically displaying a timeline showing the relationship of the first data concept and the second data concept; and   receiving user input affirming the relationship of the first data concept and the second data concept.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein further receiving user input challenging the relationship of the first data concept and the second data concept and displaying a timeline element indicating a user challenge to the relationship. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a search query for one of the first data concept and the second data concept and displaying the timeline. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein further receiving user input includes adding further temporal information to one of the first data concept and the second data concept, and displaying the further temporal information on the timeline. 
     
     
         5 . A software program, recorded on a computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions, which when executed, caries out the method comprising:
 displaying a collaborative timeline comprising a plurality of user-proposed, temporally-related concepts;   receiving an affirmation or a challenge to one or more of the user-proposed, temporally-related concepts; and   updating the timeline according to the affirmation or the challenge.   
     
     
         6 . The program of  claim 5 , the method further comprising receiving additional user-proposed, temporally-related concepts. 
     
     
         7 . The program of  claim 5 , the method further comprising updating the timeline with the additional user-proposed, temporally-related concepts. 
     
     
         8 . The program of  claim 5 , the method further displaying a subset of the timeline in accordance with a user request. 
     
     
         9 . A method of generating a timeline display, the method comprising:
 receiving a first temporal concept in the form of a search query from a user;   setting a granularity of a timeline to search for events over a select period of time;   retrieving a second temporal concept pertaining to the search query and the granularity of the timeline;   retrieving a plurality of sub-concepts linked to the second temporal concept; where the sub-concepts are returned based on the granularity of the timeline and the strength of the link between the second concept and the sub-concepts, the strength of the link established on affirmation of a proposed collaborative topic-to-topic relationship linkage; and   displaying the second concept and the sub-concepts on the graphical timeline, where the sub concepts are displayed based on the granularity of the timeline and the strength of the link between the concept and the sub concepts.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising prompting the user to vote to affirm or decline the second concept.