Method and system for displaying icons representing information items stored in a database

A method for displaying icons representing information items stored in a database, comprising the steps of:

• determining similarity between each of a plurality of information items in a database and every other one of the plurality of information items in the database;
• and
• displaying a plurality of icons, each icon corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of information items in the database, on a display screen such that the determined similarity between each information item in the database and every other information item in the database is represented by a position of each of the displayed plurality of icons;
• wherein displaying the plurality of icons includes indicating a relative age of each of the corresponding information items relative to each of the other information items.

A method for displaying icons representing information items stored in a database, comprising the steps of:

• determining similarity between each of a plurality of information items in a database and every other one of the plurality of information items in the database;
• displaying a plurality of icons, each icon corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of information items in the database, on a display screen such that the determined similarity between each information item in the database and every other information item in the database is represented by a position of each of the displayed plurality of icons;
• determining similarity between a new information item and each of the plurality of information items;
• and
• displaying a new icon corresponding to the new information item such that the position of the new icon relative to each of the plurality of icons represents the determined similarities among the plurality of information items and the new information item.

Apparatus for providing access to an experience journal including unstructured text items relating to a topic, said apparatus comprising:

• a computer system including a processor, a storage device, a video display unit having a display screen, and a user interface, said computer system further comprising:
• means for storing the unstructured text items in the storage device;
• means for determining similarity among the unstructured text items;
• means for displaying icons, one corresponding to each of the unstructured text items, on the display screen, including means for positioning said icons relative to each other such that the distances between said icons are representative of the determined similarities among the unstructured text items;
• and
• means responsive to user selection of one of said icons for displaying the corresponding unstructured text item on the display screen.

A system for maintaining a database, comprising:

• an expandable storage device configured to store a plurality of data items having a determined relationship;
• an input device for adding a new data item to the system;
• and
• a processor configured to determine a relationship between the new data item and each of the plurality of stored data items and to add the new data item to the storage device.

A method for maintaining a database, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a new data item;
• processing the new data item to determine a relationship between the new data item and each of a plurality of data items having previously determined relationships;
• and
• storing the new data item in a storage device containing the plurality of data items.