Hierarchical data-driven navigation system and method for information retrieval

A computer-implemented method for retrieving information associated with a set of materials, the method comprising:

• storing in a first data structure a plurality of attribute-value pairs associated with the materials, wherein each of a plurality of values has an association with at least one of a plurality of attributes characterizing the materials, and
• wherein the first data structure allows computing dynamically a plurality of navigation states, each navigation state corresponding to a particular set of attribute-value pairs and to a particular subset of the materials, wherein for each navigation state the particular subset of the materials corresponding to the navigation state consists of those materials in the navigation system that are each described by every attribute-value pair in the particular set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to that navigation state;
• wherein within the plurality of navigation states, at least
• a first navigation state includes a first attribute-value pair having a first attribute, in which the first attribute-value pair does not describe all the materials in the navigation system that the first attribute characterizes,
• a second navigation state includes a second attribute-value pair having the first attribute, in which the second attribute-value pair refines the first attribute-value pair, and
• at least one of the first navigation state and the second navigation state includes a third attribute-value pair having a third attribute, which is not the same as the first attribute, wherein the third attribute-value pair is mutually incomparable with the first attribute-value pair and is mutually incomparable with the second attribute-value pair, and the third attribute-value pair does not describe all the materials in the navigation system that the third attribute characterizes;
• generating a set of pre-computed navigation states;
• storing the set of pre-computed navigation states in a second data structure, the set of pre-computed navigation states stored in the second data structure including at least one of the first navigation state and the second navigation state;
• providing an interface, the interface providing a plurality of transitions, each transition providing a direct path, with no intervening navigation states, between two of the navigation states, wherein each transition represents a change from the set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to an originating navigation to the set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to a destination navigation state, wherein a series of one or more transitions provides a path between any two navigation states, and wherein the interface provides a direct path, with no intervening navigation states, between the first navigation state and the second navigation state;
• accepting a query directed at the materials;
• and
• in response to the query, retrieving a stored pre-computed navigation state or dynamically computing one of the plurality of navigation states using the first data structure.

A computer-implemented method for retrieving information associated with a set of materials, the method comprising:

• storing in a data structure a plurality of attribute-value pairs associated with the materials, wherein each of a plurality of values has an association with at least one of a plurality of attributes characterizing the materials, and
• in response to a plurality of sequential queries, computing dynamically at run time a plurality of navigation states using the data structure, each navigation state corresponding to a particular set of attribute-value pairs and to a particular subset of the materials, wherein for each navigation state the particular subset of the materials corresponding to the navigation state consists of those materials in the navigation system that are each described by every attribute-value pair in the particular set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to that navigation state;
• wherein within the plurality of computed navigation states, at least
• a first navigation state includes a first attribute-value pair having a first attribute, in which the first attribute-value pair does not describe all the materials that the first attribute characterizes,
• a second navigation state includes a second attribute-value pair having the first attribute, in which the second attribute-value pair refines the first attribute-value pair, and
• at least one of the first navigation state and the second navigation state includes a third attribute-value pair having a third attribute, which is not the same as the first attribute, wherein the third attribute-value pair is mutually incomparable with the first attribute-value pair and is mutually incomparable with the second attribute-value pair, and the third attribute-value pair does not describe all the materials that the third attribute characterizes;
• providing an interface, the interface providing a plurality of transitions, each transition providing a direct path, with no intervening navigation states, between two of the navigation states, wherein each transition represents a change from the set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to an originating navigation state to the set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to a destination navigation state, wherein a series of one or more transitions provides a path between any two navigation states, and wherein the interface provides a direct path, with no intervening navigation states, between the first navigation state and the second navigation state;
• and
• presenting in response to each query a computed navigation state.

A computer program product, residing on a computer-readable medium, for use in retrieving information associated with a set of materials, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

• store a plurality of attribute-value pairs associated with the materials, wherein each of a plurality of values has an association with at least one of a plurality of attributes characterizing the materials;
• and
• compute a plurality of navigation states, each navigation state corresponding to a particular set of attribute-value pairs and to a particular subset of the materials, wherein for each navigation state the particular subset of the materials corresponding to the navigation state consists of those materials that are each described by every attribute-value pair in the particular set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to that navigation state;
• wherein within the plurality of computed navigation states, at least
• a first navigation state includes a first attribute-value pair having a first attribute, in which the first attribute-value pair does not describe all the materials that the first attribute characterizes,
• a second navigation state includes a second attribute-value pair having the first attribute, in which the second attribute-value pair refines the first attribute-value pair, and
• at least one of the first navigation state and the second navigation state includes a third attribute-value pair having a third attribute, which is not the same as the first attribute, wherein the third attribute-value pair is mutually incomparable with the first attribute-value pair and is mutually incomparable with the second attribute-value pair, and the third attribute-value pair does not describe all the materials that the third attribute characterizes;
• store the computed navigation states in a data structure;
• provide an interface, the interface providing a plurality of transitions, each transition providing a direct path, with no intervening navigation states, between two of the navigation states, wherein each transition represents a change from the set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to an originating navigation state to the set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to a destination navigation state, wherein a series of one or more transitions provides a path between any two navigation states, and wherein the interface provides a direct path, with no intervening navigation states, between the first navigation state and the second navigation state;
• accept a query directed at the materials;
• and
• retrieve a stored navigation state responsive to the query.

A computer program product, residing on a computer-readable medium, for use in retrieving information associated with a set of materials, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

• store in a data structure a plurality of attribute-value pairs associated with the materials, wherein each of a plurality of values has an association with at least one of a plurality of attributes characterizing the materials;
• and
• in response to a plurality of sequential queries, compute dynamically at run time a plurality of navigation states using the data structure, each navigation state corresponding to a particular set of attribute-value pairs and to a particular subset of the materials, wherein for each navigation state the particular subset of the materials corresponding to the navigation state consists of those materials that are each described by every attribute-value pair in the particular set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to that navigation state;
• wherein within the plurality of navigation states, at least
• a first navigation state includes a first attribute-value pair having a first attribute, in which the first attribute-value pair does not describe all the materials that the first attribute characterizes,
• a second navigation state includes a second attribute-value pair having the first attribute, in which the second attribute-value pair refines the first attribute-value pair, and
• at least one of the first navigation state and the second navigation state includes a third attribute-value pair having a third attribute, which is not the same as the first attribute, wherein the third attribute-value pair is mutually incomparable with the first attribute-value pair and is mutually incomparable with the second attribute-value pair, and the third attribute-value pair does not describe all the materials that the third attribute characterizes;
• provide an interface, the interface providing a plurality of transitions, each transition providing a direct path, with no intervening navigation states, between two of the navigation states, wherein each transition represents a change from the set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to an originating navigation state to the set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to a destination navigation state, wherein a series of one or more transitions provides a path between any two navigation states, and wherein the interface provides a direct path, with no intervening navigation states, between the first navigation state and the second navigation state;
• and
• present in response to each query a computed navigation state.