Methods and devices for mapping data files

A method of mapping logical relations between a plurality of segments of one or more data files, comprising:

• (i) a step of, for a first segment, defining a first selectable region in a display area and one or more second regions, which respectively represent one or more second segments logically related to the first segment, and which are spatially related to the first region, the said second regions being defined according to a first scale;
• (ii) for each i-th portion of the file, where i=2, . . . , n, (n+1) further steps of defining one or more selectable (i+1)-th regions, which respectively represent one or more (i+1)-th segments which are logically related to the i-th segment, and which are spatially related to the i-th region representing that i-th segment, said (i+1)-th regions being defined according to an i-th scale smaller that the (i−1)-th scale
• (iii) enabling and receiving user selection of one of the selectable regions defined in the display area and corresponding to one of the segments;
• and
• (iv) in response to the user selection of the selectable display region, performing steps (i) and (ii) again using said selected segment as said first segment.

A device comprising a display means having a display area on which a map of logical relations between a plurality of data files is displayed, the map being generated by:

• (i) a step of, for a first file, in a display area displaying defining a selectable first region in a display area and one or more second regions, said second regions respectively representing one or more second files logically related to the first file and being spatially related to the first region, sizes of said second regions being defined according to a first distance scale;
• and
• (ii) for each i-th file, where i=2, . . . , n, (n-1) further steps of displaying defining one or more selectable (i+1)-th regions, said (i+1)-th regions respectively representing one or more (i+1)-th files which are logically related to the i-th file, and being spatially related to the i-th region representing that i-th file, the sizes of said (i+1)-th regions being defined according to an i-th distance scale smaller than the (i−1)-th distance scale;
• (iii) enabling and receiving user selection of one of the selectable regions defined in the display area and corresponding to one of the files;
• and
• (iv) in response to the received user selection of the selectable region, performing steps (i) and (ii) again using the file corresponding to said selected region as said first file.

A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for displaying logical relations between a plurality of data files, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to:

• (i) a step of, for a first file, in a display area displaying defining a selectable first region in a display area and one or more second regions, said second regions respectively representing one or more second files logically related to the first file and being spatially related to the first region, sizes of said second regions being defined according to a first distance scale;
• and
• (ii) for each i-th file, where i=2, . . . , n, (n−1) further steps of displaying defining one or more selectable (i+1)-th regions, said (i+1)-th regions respectively representing one or more (i+1)-th files which are logically related to the i-th file, and being spatially related to the i-th region representing that i-th file, the sizes of said (i+1)-th regions being defined according to an i-th distance scale smaller than the (i−1)-th distance scale;
• (iii) enabling and receiving user selection of one of the selectable regions- defined in the display area and corresponding to one of the files;
• and
• (iv) in response to the received user selection of the selectable region, performing steps (i) and (ii) again using the file corresponding to said selected region as said first file.