Computer-Implemented System and Method For Displaying Clusters Of Documents

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for displaying clusters of documents is provided. Clusters of documents are provided in a display. A compass is displayed over at least a portion of the clusters and the clusters within the compass are designated as a focused area. The clusters within the compass are also emphasized by performing at least one of zooming and panning of the clusters based on one or more instructions from a user. The clusters in the display that are outside the compass are deemphasized.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented system for displaying clusters of documents, comprising:
 clusters of documents in a display;   a compass displayed over at least a portion of the clusters and designating the clusters within the compass as a focused area; and   a display module to emphasize the clusters within the compass by performing at least one of zooming and panning of the clusters within the compass based on one or more instructions from a user and to deemphasize the clusters in the display that are outside the compass.   
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a document placement module to place each document in at least one cluster.   
     
     
         3 . A computer-implemented system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a document placement module to place one such document in a single cluster to which the document is most closely related; and   a pseudo-document placement module to place a pseudo-document of the placed document in at least one other cluster.   
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented system according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a selection module to receive a selection of at least one of the document and the pseudo-documents;   a highlight module to highlight the document based on the selection; and   a pseudo-document display module to visually depict each pseudo-document as a ghost document.   
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a presentation module to display the deemphasized clusters under a visual velum by decreasing a brightness of the clusters outside of the compass.   
     
     
         6 . A computer-implemented system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a navigation assistance panel to represent a common visualization of the clusters and the compass within the display.   
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented system according to  claim 1 , wherein the zooming performs at least one of increasing and decreasing an amount of detail associated with the clusters within the compass. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented system according to  claim 1 , wherein panning shifts a relative location of the placed clusters within the display. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a presentation module to present the clusters of documents in a hierarchical tree representation of folders.   
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a performance module to perform at least one of expanding the folders associated with the clusters within the compass and centering the folders corresponding to the clusters within the compass in the display.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for displaying clusters of documents, comprising:
 providing clusters of documents in a display;   displaying a compass over at least a portion of the clusters and designating the clusters within the compass as a focused area;   emphasizing the clusters within the compass by performing at least one of zooming and panning of the clusters within the compass based on one or more instructions from a user; and   deemphasizing the clusters in the display that are outside the compass.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 placing each document in at least one cluster.   
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 placing one such document in a single cluster to which the document is most closely related; and   placing a pseudo-document of the placed document in at least one other cluster.   
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of at least one of the document and the pseudo-documents;   highlighting the document based on the selection; and   visually depicting each pseudo-document as a ghost document.   
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 displaying the deemphasized clusters under a visual velum by decreasing a brightness of the clusters outside of the compass.   
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 representing a common visualization of the clusters and the compass via a navigation assistance panel within the display.   
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , wherein zooming performs at least one of increasing and decreasing an amount of detail associated with the clusters within the compass. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , wherein panning shifts a relative location of the placed clusters within the display. 
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 presenting the clusters of documents in a hierarchical tree representation of folders.   
     
     
         20 . A computer-implemented method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 performing at least one of expanding the folders associated with the clusters within the compass and centering the folders corresponding to the clusters within the compass in the display.