Method and system for generating dynamic, interactive visual representations of information structures within a computer

A system for enabling a user to interact with information stored as data within an information system comprising:

• memory means for storing the data;
• processor means connected to said memory to access selected segments of the data;
• display means connected to said processor;
• means for generating an icon on said display means, said icon having a structure and a plurality of features which change in appearance through a range of different possible appearances;
• a set of mathematical relationships contained within said processor and defining a plurality of parameters of potential interest to the user, said mathematical relationships being capable of producing an indication of a degree of correlation between the parameters defined by the mathematical relationships and segments of data;
• means responsive to an indication of a degree of correlation between each parameter defined by each of said mathematical relationships and segments of data for generating a particular corresponding appearance in the structure and associated features of said icon;
• and
• means for moving said mathematical relationships within said processor into access with a sequence of discrete segments of data stored within said memory to automatically generate an icon structure with features whose appearance indicates the relationship between parameters of interest to the user and the particular segment of data with which the mathematical relationships have access at each sequential period of time.

A method enabling a user to interact with information contained with an information system, comprising:

• defining boundaries of the information system containing the information with which the user is to interact;
• providing a set of mathematical relationships that define a plurality of parameters of potential interest to a user, said mathematical relationships indicating a degree of correlation between the parameters defined by the relationships and segments of information contained within the defined boundaries of the information system;
• generating a visual display for the user that has a plurality of iconic representations having different visual features, the features assuming different possible conditions;
• associating said set of mathematical relationships with said visual display to associate each of the parameters defined by each mathematical relationship with a corresponding feature of said display;
• and
• moving said set of mathematical relationships through the information contained within the boundaries of the information system to produce a visual display for the user in which the iconic representations and features of the display assume various possible conditions in accordance with the degree of correlation between the associated parameters of interest to the user and the segment of information within the information system through which the mathematical relationships are passing.

A method for enabling a user to interact with information stored as data within an information system comprising:

• storing the data in a memory:
• selecting segments of the data with a processor;
• generating an icon on a display means, said icon having a structure and a plurality of features which change in appearance through a range of difference possible appearances;
• selecting a plurality of parameters of potential interest to the user and selecting a corresponding set of mathematical relationships, said mathematical relationships indicating a degree of correlation between each parameter defined by each mathematical relationship and discrete segments of data;
• generating a particular corresponding appearance in the structure and associated features of said icon in response to an indication of a degree of correlation between each parameter defined by each of said mathematical relationships and segments of data;
• and
• moving said mathematical relationships into access with segments of data stored within said memory to automatically generate an icon structure with features whose appearance indicates the relationship between parameters of interest to the user and the particular segment of data with which the mathematical relationships have access.