The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 27, 2005
Filed:
Nov. 14, 2000
Tim W. Bray, Vancouver, CA;
David G. Ashworth, North Vancouver, CA;
Tim W. Bray, Vancouver, CA;
David G. Ashworth, North Vancouver, CA;
Antartica Systems, Inc., Vancouver, CA;
Abstract
A method for describing objects in a virtual space. In one embodiment, each object is a URL, which has been assigned to a system of hierarchical categories. The objects have been mapped to a map region, each object having been given a location within the map region. Each category within the map region is defined as a polygon area covering all of the category's objects as well as all of the category's subcategories. A client computer can request a portion of the map to be visualized. A host computer receives the request and retrieves the appropriate objects and categories from a database. The host computer forms the response to the request using a protocol which describes facts, location, and metadata about the objects and categories. The encoded response is delivered to the client. The client decodes the response and renders the objects and categories for the user. Different types of clients can concurrently request object descriptions from the server.