Patent ID: 7849402

Claim:
An electronic interface being displayed on a display device to permit a user to explore a collection of data, the collection including multiple records and multiple directional references between the records, the electronic interface comprising: a display region visualizing a first plurality of records of multiple records by having a first plurality of visual indicia positioned in a nodal arrangement being displayed on the display region, each visual indicia of the first plurality of visual indicia being related to and representing a record of the first plurality of records, each record of the first plurality of records having at least one of the following: a directional reference of a first direction to another record of the multiple of records and a directional reference of a second direction to another record of the multiple records, the second direction being different from the first direction; a first control element assigned to a first visual indicia of the first plurality of visual indicia and being responsive to a user of the electronic interface, the first visual indicia being related to and representing a first record of the first plurality of records so that when the first control element operates a second plurality of visual indicia insert into the nodal arrangement and display on the display region in close vicinity to the first visual indicia, the second plurality of visual indicia being related to and representing a second plurality of records of the multiple records, each record of the second plurality of records having a directional reference of the first direction to the first record; and a second control element assigned to a second visual indicia of the second plurality of visual indicia and being responsive to a user of the electronic interface, the second visual indicia being related to and representing a second record of the second plurality of records so that when the second control element operates a third plurality of visual indicia insert into the nodal arrangement and display on the display region in close vicinity to the second visual indicia, the third plurality of visual indicia being related to and representing a third plurality of records of the multiple records, each record of the third plurality of records having a directional reference of the second direction to the second record, and a third visual indicia of the third plurality of visual indicia being related to and representing a third record of the third plurality of records, the third record being the first record and the third visual indicia being displayed spaced apart from the first visual indicia.