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United States Patent 5,321,609
United States Patent 5,321,609
Yianilos, et. al.Jun. 14, 1994

Electronic encyclopedia

Inventors: Yianilos; Peter N. (Princeton, NJ); Decker; Joseph E. (San Jose, CA); Mayer; Rafael (Philadelphia, PA).
Assignee: Franklin Electronic Publishers, Incorporated (Mt. Holly, NJ).
Appl. No.: 889,180
Filed: May 27, 1992
Intl. Cl.:G06F 15/38;
U.S. Cl.:364/419.13; 364/419.07; 364/419.19; 395/600;
Field of Search:364/419, 419.03, 419.07, 419.13, 419.19; 395/600

References Cited

U.S. Patent Documents
4,868,733Sept., 1989Fujisawa et al. 364/200

Primary Examiner: Envall, Jr.; Roy N.
Assistant Examiner: Bai; Ari M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McAulay Fisher Nissen Goldberg & Kiel


Abstract

A location technique in an electronic encyclopedia for presenting relevant articles in response to a user input of a query term. The technique employs a user controlled hierarchy of filter parameters. The user selects a subset of the identifying parameters into which all articles are classified; each article being classified into at least one identifying parameter. There are 107 parameters disclosed. The encyclopedia automatically locates each article that employs the input or query term in each of the parameters selected by the user.

The 107 identifying parameters are divided into four Groups. The articles presented to the user are only those articles which are common to each of tex up to four Groups into which the user selected parameters are divided.

An optimally useful set of articles is provided to the user. By a combination of the union of the articles within the user selected parameters within each of the Groups together with the intersection of the articles between Groups.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures


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