Fuzzy content network management and access

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , establishing a plurality of directionally distinct relationship indicators further comprising: establishing a bi-directional relationship and an associated first directionally distinct relationship indicator between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network, and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network to indicate a directionally distinct degree of relationship between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network; and establishing a second directionally distinct relationship indicator between the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network, and the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network to indicate a degree of relationship between the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network and the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network, wherein the second directionally distinct relationship indicator is associated with the bi-directional relationship.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 , establishing a plurality of directionally distinct relationship indicators further comprising: establishing multiple types of relationships and associated relationship indicators between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network in the network.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 , establishing a plurality of directionally distinct relationship indicators further comprising: generating a set of relationships and associated relationship indicators based upon human judgment.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 , establishing a plurality of directionally distinct relationship indicators further comprising: generating a set of relationships and associated relationship indicators based upon a pattern matching algorithm.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 , establishing a plurality of directionally distinct relationship indicators further comprising: generating a set of relationships and associated relationship indicators based upon network usage.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 , accessing any object in the network further comprising accessing the object and other objects to which a degree of relationship to the object have been established in the network.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 , accessing the object and other objects to which a degree of relationship to the object have been established in the network further comprising: receiving an access request; navigating the network using information, meta-information, relationships and the associated directional degrees of relatedness based upon the access request; and retrieving the object.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 , retrieving the object further comprising: retrieving an object summary, the object summary including an object encapsulation and a list of related objects.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 , further comprising: presenting the information to a display interface, wherein the information is from the list of related objects.

Claim 12

The method of claim 8 , further comprising: receiving a relevancy control for the access request; and retrieving the network of related objects according to the relevancy control.

Claim 13

The method of claim 8 , further comprising: presenting a graphical content network display comprising a graphical representation of the objects of the network and their associated relationship indicators.

Claim 14

The method of claim 8 , further comprising: presenting a content affinity matrix comprising a matrix of the objects of the network and their associated relationship indicators.

Claim 15

The method of claim 13 , further comprising: presenting a plurality of content affinity matrices, wherein each of the plurality of content affinity matrices represents a distinct set of relationship indicators.

Claim 16

The method of claim 8 , further comprising: accessing the network through a portal by a predetermined group of users, wherein the portal restricts the predetermined group of users from accessing a portion of the network.

Claim 17

The method of claim 15 , further comprising: allocating portions of the network to portals through selection of topic objects and related content objects.

Claim 18

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: accessing the network of objects; tracking the accesses using a transaction log; and matching the accesses to the objects.

Claim 19

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: identifying a plurality of subsets of the network; and applying logical set operators on the subsets.

Claim 20

The method of claim 18 , applying logical set operators further comprising: performing a union among two or more of the plurality of subsets; and generating a new subset based upon the union.

Claim 21

The method of claim 18 , applying logical set operators further comprising: performing an intersection among two or more of the plurality of subsets; and generating a new subset based upon the intersection.

Claim 22

The method of claim 18 , applying logical set operators further comprising: performing a difference among two or more of the plurality of subsets; and generating a new subset based upon the difference.

Claim 25

The system of claim 22 , further comprising a display interface, wherein the display interface interrelates the objects and their relationships and associated relationship indicators.

Claim 26

The system of claim 23 , wherein the display interface presents one or more content affinity matrices of the objects and the relationship indicators.

Claim 27

The system of claim 22 , wherein a set of relationships and associated relationship indicators are generated by a user of the system.

Claim 28

The system of claim 22 , wherein a set of relationships and associated relationship indicators are generated based on access patterns to the objects by one or more users.

Claim 29

The system of claim 22 , wherein a set of relationships and associated relationship indicators are generated automatically by a software program.

Claim 30

The system of claim 22 , wherein the objects are distributed over multiple computers on a computer network.

Claim 31

An article comprising a medium storing instructions for enabling a processor-based system to: generate a content object in a network of objects, the content object comprising: information or a pointer to the information; and meta-information about the information; wherein the meta-information and the information or the pointer to the information are encapsulated in the content object; generate a topic object in the network of objects, the topic object comprising meta-information, wherein the meta-information is encapsulated in the topic object; identify a sub-network, the sub-network comprising a plurality of objects and associated relationships, wherein one or more types of bi-directional relationships are established between a first content object, a first topic object, or a first sub-network, and a second content object, a second topic object, or a second sub-network; and establish a plurality of directionally distinct relationship indicators between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network, and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network for each relationship type, wherein each relationship indicator specifies a degree of relatedness or range, from not related at all to wholly related, of relatedness between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network, and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network, wherein the degree of relationship of the directionally distinct relationship indicators for a specific bi-directional relationship may be asymmetrical.

Claim 32

An article comprising a medium storing instructions for enabling a processor-based system to: generate a content object in a network of objects, the content object comprising: information or a pointer to the information; and meta-information about the information; wherein the meta-information and the information or the pointer to the information are encapsulated in the content object; generate a topic object in the network of objects, the topic object comprising meta-information, wherein the meta-information is encapsulated in the topic object; identify a sub-network, the sub-network comprising a plurality of objects and associated relationships, wherein one or more types of bi-directional relationships are established between a first content object, a first topic object, or a first sub-network, and a second content object, a second topic object, or a second sub-network; and establish a plurality of directionally distinct relationship indicators between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network, and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network for each relationship type, wherein each relationship indicator specifies a degree of relatedness or range, from not related at all to wholly related, of relatedness between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network, and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network, wherein the degree of relationship of the directionally distinct relationship indicators for a specific bi-directional relationship may be asymmetrical.

Claim 33

The article of claim 29 , further storing instructions for enabling a processor-based system to: establish a bi-directional relationship and an associated first directionally distinct relationship indicator between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network, and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network to indicate a directionally distinct degree of relationship between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network; and establish a second directionally distinct relationship indicator between the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network, and the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network to indicate a degree of relationship between the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network and the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network, wherein the second directionally distinct relationship indicator is associated with the bi-directional relationship.

Claim 34

The article of claim 30 , further storing instructions for enabling a processor-based system to: establish multiple types of relationships and associated relationship indicators between the first content object, the first topic object, or the first sub-network and the second content object, the second topic object, or the second sub-network in the network.

Claim 35

The article of claim 31 , further storing instructions for enabling a processor-based system to: receive a relevancy control for an access request; and retrieve the network of related objects according to the relevancy control.

Claim 36

The article of claim 32 , further storing instructions for enabling a processor-based system to: provide a display interface, wherein the display interface interrelates the objects and the relationship indicators.