Browsing of contextual information

摘要

Systems and methods for searching and browsing a data store of contextually related data objects. The system includes a search/browse module that receives a search query. The search/browse module identifies data objects that match the search query and generates sentences from data objects that are contextually related to the matching data objects. The sentences are human-readable sentences, for example in subject-verb-object format, where each sentence represents the relationship between two data objects. The sentences are output for display as a hierarchy of sentences. Additionally, a user can browse the data store of contextually related data objects by selecting a sentence that is displayed to the user. The search/browse module then outputs attributes of the data object represented by the sentence for display in two separate regions of a user interface.

主权项

1. A method for browsing a datastore of data objects, the method comprising:
providing a first sentence for display in a first region of a user interface, the first sentence having a subject, verb and object, the object of the first sentence representing a first data object from the datastore of data objects, the datastore associating the first data object with a plurality of attributes describing characteristics of the first data object; providing a second sentence for display in the first region of a user interface, the second sentence having a subject, verb and object, the subject of the second sentence representing the first data object from the datastore of data objects and the object of the second sentence representing at least a second data object from the datastore of data objects that is related to the first data object, the datastore associating the second data object with a plurality of attributes describing characteristics of the second data object, the first sentence and the second sentence organized in the user interface as a hierarchy that includes a plurality of levels and the first sentence is in a superior level of the hierarchy and the second sentence is in a subordinate level of the hierarchy; receiving, by a computer, a user input selecting the second sentence displayed in the subordinate level of the hierarchy in the first region of the user interface; and responsive to receiving the user input selecting the second sentence displayed in the subordinate level of the hierarchy in the first region of the user interface:
providing, for display in a second region of the user interface, one or more of the attributes of the first data object represented by the subject of the second sentence; andproviding, for display in a third region of the user interface, one or more of the attributes of the second data object represented by the object of the second sentence.