BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 displays a first level of the tag cloud, which contains the tags fruit, meats, vegetables, beverages and grains. Displayed next to each tag in the tag cloud is a plus (+) icon that permits the user to obtain additional tags on related subject matter from the website without refreshing the web page;
FIG. 2 displays a second level of a tag cloud, based upon the user's selection of the tag “fruit” from the tag cloud at the first level. The tag cloud contains a query that depicts the user's current tag choices and, if clicked, will display items with those tags;
FIG. 3 displays a third level of a tag cloud based upon the user's selection of the tag “citrus” from the tag cloud at the second level. As noted above, the tag cloud contains a query that depicts the user's previous tag choice “fruit” as well as the current tag choice “citrus” and also displays a list of tags shared by items that are tagged with both “fruit and citrus”; and
FIG. 4 displays a fourth level of a tag cloud based upon the user's selection of the tag “oranges” from the tag cloud at the third level. As noted above, the tag cloud contains a query that depicts the user's history of tag choices “fruit+citrus+oranges” and also displays a list of tags shared by items that are tagged with “fruit” and “citrus” and “oranges”. In this case, none of the tags in the tag cloud can be further expanded.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Disclosed herein are “cascading clouds” that allow a user to browse through related tags without actually retrieving items marked with the tags that were previously selected or viewed by the user. This method also permits one to browse through related tags without having to refresh the web page thus improving performance and searching efficiency. It advantageously permits the user to quickly locate the desired tags and then display one list of resulting items. The design provides the user with a method to expand a tag and thereby to show related tags in addition to providing the user with an easily viewable history of the tags that were already reviewed.
The term “tag” as used herein is a link which can be selected by the user to navigate a selected website.
With reference now to the FIG. 1, a first level for a tag cloud depicts a list of tags between which the user desires to make a choice. Each tag has located next to it a plus icon that permits the user to navigate further into the tag space of the website to inquire about a subject of choice. When the user selects the plus icon, the user also activates a new tag cloud that provides the user with a history of tags within the site that have been viewed and shows the tags being used to generate the cloud below which contains tags common to all of the items that are tagged with that tag (“Fruit” in this case).
As depicted in the FIG. 1, the tag cloud offers the user an opportunity to choose between tags on a site that comprise fruit, meats, vegetables, beverages and grains. By selecting the plus sign at this first level, the user can navigate to and interact with another tag cloud located at a second level in the tag space relationship. The tag cloud at the second level comprises tags that are related by subject matter to the tag selected by the user (from the tag cloud) at the first level. By selecting a tag from the tag cloud at the second level, the user can once again navigate to and interact with another tag cloud located at a third level in the tag space relationship, and so on. The tag cloud at the third level is related by subject matter to the tag selected from the tag cloud at the second level.
In addition to tags at the next level that are related by subject matter to the tag selected from the tag cloud at the previous level, the tag cloud displays a query that contains the tags clicked previously which are the tags being used to generate the cloud within.
For example, if in the FIG. 1, the user selects the plus icon located next to the tag “fruit”, the next tag cloud will display a list of those tags related to fruit contained on the site in addition to a query that displays the tag fruit. Thus, as seen in the FIG. 2, the tag cloud contains a query that shows that the user had previously expanded on the tag “fruit”. The tag cloud also contains a new list of tags from the site pertaining to fruit. Thus, since the website, contains tags or a plurality of tags related to melons, citrus, apples, pears, berries, and bananas, the new tag cloud contains a list that contains tags describing these individual fruit. The size of a tag in the new tag cloud can be indicative of the extent of the population of the particular tag in the website.
For example, if the user selects the plus icon associated with the tag “citrus” from the tag cloud at this level, the tag “fruit+citrus” appears as the history of the next tag cloud, as seen in the FIG. 3. The tag cloud shown in the FIG. 3, also queries the website and creates a new tag cloud that contains the tags oranges, grapefuit, lemons or limes. If the user should decide to explore the site for additional subject matter related to the tag oranges, then the next tag cloud will display a query that contains tags of the previous sites, namely fruit+citrus+oranges, while at the same time querying the site for subject matter related to oranges. Thus the new tag cloud at this level will display tags that are related by subject matter to oranges such as those exemplary tags shown in the FIG. 4, such as juice, navel, blood, tangerines, clementines, or the like. At this point, no more drilling own trough the tag space is possible so there are no further plus signs within the cloud.
In summary, in one method of proceeding, a system or a website presents to the user a tag cloud at level n, where n is an integer that can occupy any value greater than 0. Thus n can be 1, 2, 3, . . . 100, and so on. The tag cloud comprises plus icons located next to each tag in the tag cloud. The user selects one icon from the tag cloud. In response, the system queries the website and presents to the user a tag cloud that comprises a query that has the users tag selection from level n, while at the same time offering the user a set of tags (with associated icons) from level n+1. The set of tags at level n+1 are related in subject matter to the tag chosen at level n. The user selects one icon from the tag cloud at level n+1. In response, the system queries the website and presents to the user a tag cloud that comprises a query that contains the users tag selection from levels n and n+1, while at the same time offering the user a set of tags (with associated icons) from level n+2. In one embodiment, the aforementioned method is executed by a system that comprises a computer.
While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention.
Patent Application
20080092044
