Patent ID: 7576756
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: G06F,G09G

Abstract:
1. A computer controlled free form sensemaking system for user creation and user control of a plurality of visual information objects, each visual information object having one or more associated contracts for defining automatic behavior responsive to an interaction with other visual information objects, the system comprising: one or more input elements for enabling creation and modification of the visual information objects, including information contained within the visual information objects; a display for showing a viewed space that is contained within a populated space, the viewed space including user perceptible representations of the visual information objects located inside the populated space and outside the viewed space; a processing element for generating display information for the display such that, as a user modifies one of the visual information objects by adding information, the modified visual information object grows and automatically bumps and does not occlude other visual information objects that impinge upon an area of growth of the modified visual information object, wherein the bumped visual information objects may change positions in any direction of impingement, so as to prevent occlusion, wherein each user perceptible representation includes distance information indicating a distance of the corresponding visual information object from the viewed space, wherein the modification of one of the visual information objects by movement within the viewable space automatically rescales the moved visual information object, and bumps other visual information objects, to prevent occlusion yet maintain a spatial arrangement with respect to the other visual information objects, and wherein the contracts of each visual information object dictate general policies for the visual information object's display characteristics, growth behavior, movement capabilities, and scale factor.