Patent ID: 7350147

Claim:
A method of describing relationships among a hierarchy of descriptors, comprising: grouping a first set of descriptors, a second set of descriptors, and a third set of descriptors; defining a hierarchy among the first, second, and third sets of descriptors; defining a first set of relationships between the first set of descriptors and the second set of descriptors; defining a second set of relationships between the second set of descriptors and the third set of descriptors; and graphically displaying the first set of descriptors on a first descriptor list, the second set of descriptors on a second descriptor list, the third set of descriptors on a third descriptor list, the first set of relationships on a first relationship grid, and the second set of relationships on a second relationship grid; wherein the first descriptor list is adjacent to the first relationship grid, the first relationship grid is adjacent to the second descriptor list the second descriptor list is adjacent to the second relationship grid, and the second relationship grid is adjacent to the third descriptor list thereby forming a contiguous figure; wherein at least one of the relationship grids is positioned perpendicular to at least one of the other relationship grids.