Patent ID: 7668827

Claim:
A method, comprising: a computer system receiving information specifying a search query, wherein the search query includes three or more search criteria; the computer system creating a node list, wherein the creating includes adding to the node list nodes in an information hierarchy that satisfy one or more of the specified three or more search criteria; the computer system using the node list to generate data usable by a system having a display device to display a first visual representation that includes first and second portions; wherein the first portion includes a depiction of one or more nodes within the information hierarchy that satisfy a first combination of the three or more specified search criteria; and wherein the second portion includes two or more elements, each of which is selectable to navigate directly from the first visual representation to a corresponding other visual representation, wherein each of the other visual representations corresponds to a respective combination of the three or more search criteria that is different from the first combination, and wherein each of the other visual representations includes a depiction of one or more nodes within the information hierarchy that satisfy the respective combination corresponding to that visual representation.