Patent ID: 6353822
Filing Date: 2002-03-05
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
Apparatus for identifying electronically encoded data items of interest to a user, the data items being stored on at least one computer and being identified by an item identifier, at least some of the data items being linked to at least one other data item by specifying the identifier of the at least one other data item, the apparatus comprising:a. a computer memory; b. interactive retrieval means comprising: i. means responsive to a user-provided identifier for causing retrieval to the computer memory and display of the data item specified by the identifier; and ii. means responsive to a user's selection of an identifier appearing in an already-retrieved data item for causing retrieval to the computer memory of the linked data item specified by the identifier appearing in the already-retrieved data item; c. observational means, responsive to the interactive retrieval means, for identifying user preference criteria through analysis of a user's operation of the interactive retrieval means to retrieve data items but without interruption of said operation; d. automated retrieval means for causing automatic retrieval to the computer memory of a plurality of new data items, each new data item being linked by a sequence of at least one identifier to a user-selected data item or a data item linked thereto; e. means for screening the items retrieved by the automated retrieval means in accordance with the preference criteria to produce a search set; and f. means for reporting the search set to a user.