Abstract:
A visual reference structure for a computer database for retrieval of information objects in the database, the reference structure is formed of discrete cell blocks that are assembled into a three dimensional structure having sixteen cubes containing one million cell blocks, seven plates containing one hundred thousand cell blocks, seven strings containing ten thousand cell blocks, seven cubes containing one thousand cell blocks, two plates containing one hundred cell blocks and a string of sixteen cell blocks, for a total of 16,777,216 cell blocks, the reference structure preferably providing locations for picoblocks which are bit cubes containing a maximum of 34 3  bits, and being displayable in the display of a computer.

Description:
This application is based on Provisional Application Serial No. 60/082,916, filed on Apr. 24, 1998 pending. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is related to the subject matter of my U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,187, issued Aug. 22, 1989, entitled Database Management Enhancement Device, and my U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,468, issued Sep. 19, 1995, entitled, Computer System With Parallel Processing For Information Organization. The subject matter of this invention continues the theme that was set forth in a continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 08/191,981 to U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,468, and disclosure document No. 413732. The continuation-in-part application adds new matter to the original filing relating to a thousand cell cubic cell block and the introduction of a picoblock, which is a 32 bit by 32 bit by 32 bit data cube boxed in a 1 bit thick shell. 
     The invention here disclosed relates to a 3-dimensional cell structure for containing picoblocks. The cell structure is based on the number 2 24 , or 16,777,216. This moderately large number is useful for creating a conceptual meta structure that is easily visualized for location and storage of picoblocks. For example, each picoblock could represent an abstract of data from a separate U.S. patent. Similar data from foreign patents can be included, so that the structure can incorporate all indexed U.S. and foreign patents for location and retrieval in a scheme that is easily visualized and accessible to a novice user. 
     By maximizing the potential of the number 2 32  which is used as the maximum address number in 32 bit word size in computer processing, we can consider the 2 24  as a template and construct 256 of these template structures. In this manner, over four billion information objects can be classified and organized according to predefined attributes of the information, assigned to one of the 256 template structures, and located in the appropriate cell of the 16 million plus cell structure. This cell structure in its preferred incarnation is called a memory chalice. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The memory chalice is a conceptual interface mechanism for management and storage of memory objects. The memory chalice, so named because of the vague resemblance of the basic structure to a chalice, extends the theme of Mateo Ricci, the 16th century Jesuit, who created the “memory palace”, as a repository for mental objects he wished to recall. Ricci&#39;s memory palace was in part devised, while he was a missionary in China, to learn Han pictographs. 
     The new concept for consideration is that information objects have innate charm, and that by qualifying and quantifying an object&#39;s natural charm, we can locate the object in a logical memory structure. 
     Our logical memory structures are expressions of big numbers significant in digital computing. First, our memory universe is based on the binary number 2 32 , which is more than 4 billion, giving us over four billion locations for storage of memory objects. Second, our universe is divided into four galaxies, each galaxy having 64 worlds. Each world in turn, is an expression of the binary number 2 24 , which gives us the more manageable number, 16,777,216, for building a memory palace. Finally, in constructing a symmetrical 3-D memory structure out of 16,777,216 perfect cubes, the memory palace takes the form of an hourglass or chalice. This memory chalice becomes the template for the 256 worlds in our memory universe. 
     If we accept the notion that objects having similar charm tend to hang out together, then a few well-placed archetype icons of charm will tend to influence the grouping and accumulation of other similarly charmed objects. 
     Charm is believed universal. Experience in collecting beach pebbles for stone mosaics teaches that this thing called “charm” attracts the eye and induces discriminating selection of one object among millions. The concept of charm can be similarly applied to information objects. The memory chalice then becomes a meta directory or universal index for locating memory objects. 
     In digital computing, the bit is the smallest element and is usually represented as a “1” or “0”. While this makes the mathematician happy, it&#39;s tough to visualize. If instead we think of the bit as a perfect black or white cube, we can create boxes to contain these cubes. The one-size-fits-all box for objects in our memory chalice is called the picoblock. 
     Picoblocks are bit cubes 32 bits on a side wrapped in a one-bit thick shell. Charm in our universe is superficial and is carried in pictures, symbols and tags on the shell. Think of children&#39;s alphabet blocks with colored letters, numbers and animals on the six sides of each block. 
     Picoblocks are stashed in cell blocks, the basic storage container in the chalice structure for holding a picoblock. Cell blocks are assembled into alpha blocks, which are cubes of 1000 cell blocks, and beta blocks, cubes of 1,000,000 blocks. 
     Qualifying and quantifying an object&#39;s charm aids in the association of objects with objects and in the arrangement of objects in our object structure. 
     The devil is in the details and the details are in the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the basic information structure that provides a world view in an information universe. 
     FIG. 2 a  is a perspective view of an information structure showing a universe with 4 galaxies, each galaxy having 64 worlds. 
     FIG. 2 b  is a perspective view of one of the galaxies of 64 worlds. 
     FIG. 2 c  is a perspective view with each galaxy unfolded to show a total of 256 worlds. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of one of seven server plate assemblies shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of sixteen large data blocks shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of two central collector plates and sixteen independent cell blocks shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a picoblock formed of a cube of bit blocks. 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the picoblock of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bit tablet formed of a bit plate and a bit string as a header and a trailer to the bit plate. 
     FIG. 9 a  is a perspective, schematic view of a picoblock broken into tablets. 
     FIG. 9 b  is a perspective schematic view of the picoblock broken into connected tablets and showing one scheme for transforming the tablets into a byte stream. 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a computer and screen showing a standard template layout for selecting, displaying and collecting picoblocks. 
     FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a grouping of picoblocks into a hypercard. 
     FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a gallery of exemplar selector blocks having an alphanumeric and color codex. 
     FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a color spectrum time wheel with a codex utilizing certain of the selector block elements of FIG.  12 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred structure for forming a visual information mechanism is shown and designated by the reference numeral  10 . The particular structure is designed to store 16,777,216 memory objects. A memory object is preferably a memory organizational package called a picoblock. The memory structure of FIG. 1, contains sixteen memory blocks  12  each having 1 million cells as shown in the enlarged view of a typical block, called a beta block in FIG.  4 . The beta blocks  12  are memory banks utilized for deep or archival storage and are designed to be disassembled into typical plates  14  as shown for the seven circling plate assemblies  16  in the center of the information structure  10 . An enlarged view of a plate assembly  16  is shown in FIG.  3 . 
     The plate assemblies each include a 10×10 matrix of alpha blocks  18 , each plate  14  thereby having one hundred alpha blocks  18 . Each plate assembly  16  also includes a string  20  of alpha blocks and a lead alpha block  22 , the assembly forming a contingent of one hundred eleven alpha blocks. In this manner, the seven assemblies provide 777,000 cell blocks  24  for containing a like number of picoblocks. It is to be understood that a cell block  24  is one of the thousand cells making up an alpha block  18 . A picoblock is cube of bits represented as small black or white cubes assembled into a block as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     Finally, at the center of the information structure  10  is a pair of collector plates  26  and a string of selector blocks  28 , shown in the enlarged view of FIG.  5 . The collector plates  26  and string of selector blocks  28  are made up of cell blocks  24 . Each cell block  24  in the information structure is sized to contain a picoblock  29 , the selected kernal of this iteration of the information system. In FIG. 5, the structure is also shown with a time wheel  30 , to remind the reader that this is a dynamic system and in part dependent on time to determine the state of the information structure. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 a  to  2   c , a schema is shown for multiplying the number of standard information structures  10 , as shown in FIG. 1, to utilize the full compliment of available addresses in the number 2 32 . In this manner, FIG. 2 a  shows a universe  32  divided into four galaxies  34 , the composite taking the form of a tetrahedron. Each corner or node of the tetrahedron has a galaxy  34 , shown in greater detail in FIG. 2 b  that is made up of 64 worlds  36 . If each of the four galaxies is unfolded, as shown in FIG. 2 c , then the four galaxies can be displayed as plates  38  with a total of 256 worlds. In this manner, each of the cells comprising a world  36  forms a window to a memory chalice  10 , as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Notably, each of cell plates  38  forming an unfolded galaxy  34 , comprises an 8×8 structure that is common to the structure of the chess board and checker board. The schema of information organization is thereby intimately tied to game playing. The field configuration is displayed as a composite or selective accessing window for accessing one of the 256 available worlds. 
     It is to be noted that the information system of this invention is primarily constructed for 32-bit processors, but may be equally scaled to 64 bit processors with advantage. As noted, the standard information block to be lodged in each one of the cell blocks  24  detailed in FIGS. 3 to  5  is the picoblock  29  shown in FIG.  6 . The picoblock  29  is a cube of bits  39 . If we think of bits as black or white dice instead of “one&#39;s” and “zero&#39;s”, then visual structures can be constructed by a grouping of the bit cubes. If the preferred structures are cubes, then structures can be formed that contain a large block of bits arranged in a compact form. The picoblock  29 , is a cube of bits, 34 by 34 by 34. This structure is selected to provide a one bit address and tagging shell around a data cube that measures 32 bits by 32 bits by 32 bits. 
     Referring to the exploded view of FIG. 7, the structure of the picoblock  29  can be better perceived. The picoblock  29  includes the core data cube  40 , six plates measuring 32 bits by 32 bits twelve edge strings  44 , 32 bits in length, and eight corner bits. In 32-bit programming, it is preferred that at least four picoblocks be grouped together in order that the eight corner bits can be combined and fill out a complete 32 bit word. 
     In another scheme for understanding and analyzing a picoblock  29 , the picoblock can be sliced to provide number of tablets  48 , as shown in FIG.  8 . The tablet is a bit plate  50  measuring 32 bits by 32 bits with a bit string  52  of 32 bits arranged as a header, and a bit string  54  of 32 bits arranged as a trailer. If we attempt to divide the picoblock into tablets, then we must dedicate two of the exploded plates in FIG. 7, for example, the top and bottom plates  42   a  and  42   b  as the headers, and trailers for the data cube. The other four plates in the exploded picoblock  29  utilize the edge strings  44  as headers and trailers of the plates  42  with the extra edge strings  44  providing two extra headers  56  and two extra trailers  58  on the first and last tablet. 
     It is to be understood that for a data container, the protocol can utilize all or none of the plates  50  and be confined to the headers  52  and trailers and/or the two extra headers  56  and two extra trailers  58  of the picoblock  29  as shown in FIG. 9 a . In this manner, the picoblocks can be considered to be a number of tablets, the maximum number being thirty six. The tablet can contain data, a black and white bit map, part of a pixel, or code instructions. 
     For transmitting the picoblock  29 , the tablet system can be read top to bottom in a typical 32 bit processor as shown in FIG. 9 a , or by connecting the tablets  48  head to tail in the scheme shown in FIG. 9 b . In this scheme the picoblock ribbon  60  is shown breaking up into separate 32-bit words  62  and subsequently into 8-bit bytes  64  for conventional digital byte transmission. 
     As shown in the schematic view of FIG. 10, a digital computer  66  has a screen  68  with a screen template  70  showing a 10×10 field  72  and an 8×8 field  74 . Typically, icons  69  representing a picoblock appear in the apertures  71  of the fields. It is to be understood that the grid lines  76  can disappear when a group of pictographs in a mosaic merge into a composite image. In addition to the two fields  72  and  74 , are a series of scroll bars  70  to provide for selection of graphically marked picoblocks in the manner described in the referenced patents. Preferably the scroll bars  78  are included to provide aperture sets according to the important  6 ,  7 ,  10  and  16  numbers that are significant in the structure of FIG.  1 . For example, the seven aperture set  80  can relate to the seven server plate assemblies  16 , and the  10  aperture set  82  can relate to the string  20  of ten alpha blocks in the plate assemblies, etc. The rectangular buttons  84  are controls for scrolling the aperture proximate the button for selective display of a picoblock icon or graphic. 
     Referring to FIG. 11, picoblocks  29  can be assembled into a typical hypercard  86 , that is much like a trading card having a standard 5×7 aspect ratio. In FIG. 11 is shown an array of picoblocks with one of the blocks  29   a  detailed to show the actual bit composition. Typically the hypercard is shown in the 8×8 field or window with the 10×10 field or window reserved for selecting icons representative of proposed arrangement or grouping of picoblocks in the information structure. 
     It is contemplated that the 10×10 array of picoblocks are stacked ten high as a thousand cell alpha block and assigned to one of the seven alpha block assemblies  16  shown in FIG.  1 . The alpha block assemblies act as server plates to provide a cache for temporary storage of information before being deposited into one of the deep memory banks of the beta blocks  12 . Considering the collector plates  26  and server plate assemblies  16  as caches, it is to be understood that the archival storage of the deep memory beta blocks is limited to 16,000,000 objects. Because the picoblock  29  is limited in size, it is also to be understood that the picoblock can contain the necessary tags and code to link the picoblock to other memory sources for accessing binary large objects. 
     Referring to FIG. 12, a suggested codex  88  is provided for initial categorization of information. The codex  88  is a simplistic combination of icons  90  labeled with the 16 letters the shortened Scandinavian runes, supplementing the 12 stones of the breastplate of Aaron, likely assigning colors to the 12 tribes of Israel. Notably, this is one of the first color codes, as the banner of each tribe was apparently adorned with a corresponding color and symbol that represented the tribe. Unfortunately, the precise order and identity of the stones has been lost and the assemblage shown is simply a best effort from available references. 
     Similarly, FIG. 13 is an association of the 12 color coded stones of FIG. 12 with a standard color-coded astrological wheel  92 . The astrological wheel is symbolic of the division of a circle into 12 sectors for temporal classification. Nothing more is suggested by these categorical assignments than a good default starting place for classification. It is understood that the information system provided in this specification has a Western bias and is typically Cartesian in nature to satisfy orthodox information organization. It is expected that the particular system of visual cues adopted for organizing information in the information structure can be tailored to the user&#39;s inclination or culture. The chalice structure itself is universal being based on a binary number.