Method and system for selecting an information item

摘要

A computer system enables a user to browse a hierarchically classified database by interactively displaying a relevant portion of the classification scheme of the database as category names and sub-category names. After a user selects a displayed category (or sub-category), the system automatically modifies the displayed relevant portion of the classification scheme in a way that is dependent on the particular selected category. The modified portion of the classification scheme that is displayed includes not only the name of the user selected category and some of the names of sub-categories thereof, but also the names of some non-selected categories that are on the same hierarchy level as the selected category and are relevant to the selected category, as well as some of the names of sub-categories of these non-selected categories, thereby helping the user to find the name of a category or sub-category of interest without overwhelming the user with too many displayed names of categories and sub-categories.