WO2008065638A2

WO2008065638A2 - Method and apparatus for analyzing time-related event

Info

Publication number: WO2008065638A2
Application number: PCT/IL2006/001386
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yehuda Atai
Original assignee: Processpedia Ltd; Yehuda Atai
Priority date: 2006-11-30
Filing date: 2006-11-30
Publication date: 2008-06-05
Also published as: WO2008065638A3

Abstract

An apparatus and method for creating, updating and viewing a timeline associated with a process event, and attaching data items presenting aspects related to one or more points in time along the timeline with one or more data items. The data items can be collected and shared among multiple users, or be personal and viewed only by one user.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING TIME-RELATED

EVENT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for creating and using applications related to timelines and data relevant thereto.

DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART

Many processes, events, situations, stories, or other entities, are associated with multiple data items of various types. However, arranging the data and accessing it in an easy-to-use consistent method is not always straight forward. Items of various data types do not always comply or they might even conflict, items representing a general point of view on a certain process, may conflict with private items, or the like. A significant lack is felt wherein the entities to which the available data relates is an advancing process, a story, or a narrative of events having multiple aspects, multiple points of view and a large amount of related data. The data items may include stories, biographies, historic interpretations, artistic work such as visual, audio, or video items, personal experiences and interpretations and other data items. However, even for the same event or process some data items may be relevant to all people interested in a certain event or process, while other data items may have interest only for groups, and yet others may be relevant only to individuals. In addition, data may be inadequate in content or in quality and should not be made available automatically to one or more users.

Time is a central aspect of many issues, events, processes, process events or other entities in the life of an individual, a group, a living entity, or humanity as a whole. Thus, various data items may be relevant to a certain point or a certain range along a timeline associated with an event. Timelines may be associated with different resolutions at different periods, may or may not be finite, may be absolute, relative, or periodical, real or imaginary, and additional characteristics.

There is thus a need for a tool that will enable a creation of timeline according to user definitions or demands, and will support association of materials such as data items with the timeline, for easy and accurate access by users.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for creating and using a timeline associated with a process event. The invention allows users to participate in the process of collecting and/or responding to the data relevant to the timeline of the process event through a computing platform such as a personal computer, a mainframe computer, a network computer, an interactive television, a cellular phone-any other remote wireless device, or any other type of computing platform that is provisioned with a memory device

In accordance with the present invention, there is thus provided a method for dynamic generation of a timeline associated with a process event, and associating a data item related to the process event with the timeline, the method comprising the steps of: defining a timeline for the process event, the timeline having two ends, and the timeline associated with a characteristic; and associating the at least one data item with the timeline, by associating a first data structure representing the at least one data item to a second data structure representing the timeline. Within the method, the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: finiteness; absoluteness; resolution; or a timestamp assigned to an at least one part of the timeline. The method can further comprise a step of retrieving the at least one data item. The data item is retrieved according to any of the group consisting of: a point in time; a time range; a periodical time indication; an event associated with the timeline; a keyword; a category associated with the data item, a type associated with the data item; or a second data item. The method can further comprise a step of viewing the data item, or a step of analyzing the data item. Analyzing the data item optionally comprises statistical analysis of the data item. The process event is optionally a narrative having a timeline. The .narrative can be the Bible, the Old Testament, and/or the New Testament. Te process event is optionally a medical situation, a medical research, a pregnancy, a sport related activity or an interactive game related activity. The data item is of a type selected from the group consisting of: a text; an image; a web page; an HTML message; and XML message; an XSL message; an XSLT message; a video; an audio; or an art work. The data item is optionally a personal data item. The data item is optionally associated with a time range of the timeline, one or more time points of the timeline, or with a second data item associated with the timeline. The method optionally comprises the steps of: suggesting a second data item to be added to the timeline, to a user having appropriate privileges; and checking the second data item. The method can further comprise a step of distributing the timeline and the data item to a user, or a step of assigning a time resolution to a part of the timeline, or a step of determining whether the timeline is absolute, relative, or periodical, or a step of printing the timeline or a data item associated therewith.

Another aspect of the disclosed invention relates to an apparatus for creating a timeline associated with a process event, and attaching a data item associated with the process event, the apparatus comprising: a timeline creation component for creating a timeline, the timeline having two ends, and the timeline associated with a characteristic; a data item attachment component for attaching the data item to the timeline, by associating a first data structure representing the data item to a second data structure representing the timeline. The apparatus can further comprise a viewing component for viewing the timeline and the data item. The viewing component enables zooming on a one part of the timeline. The viewing component presents the data item according to a type associated with the data item. The apparatus can further comprise an information retrieval component for retrieving a data item related to the timeline. The apparatus can further comprise a timeline search engine. The apparatus optionally comprises: a component for suggesting to a user of the apparatus having appropriate privileges to attach a second data item to the timeline; and a component for checking the second data item suggested to the user of the apparatus, using one or more criteria. The one or more criteria can be selected from the group consisting of: quality, adequateness, composer, size, or type. The apparatus can further comprise permission management component for managing user access privileges for the apparatus.

The apparatus optionally comprises a personal data item attachment component for attaching a personal data item to the timeline. Within the apparatus, the process event can be a narrative having a timeline. The narrative can be the Bible. The process event can be a medical situation, a pregnancy, a sport related activity, or an interactive TV or internet game related activity. The data item is optionally of a type taken from the group consisting of: a text; an image; a web page; an HTML message; and XML message; an XSL message; an XSLT message; a video; an audio; or an art work. The apparatus can further comprise a toolbar support component for creating a timeline toolbar and attaching said toolbar to an application.

Yet another aspect of the disclosed invention relates to a computer readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a general purpose computer, the set of instructions comprising: defining a timeline for a process event, the timeline having two ends, and the timeline associated with an at least one characteristic; and attaching a data item to the timeline, by associating a first data structure representing the data item to a second data structure representing the timeline.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a conceptual illustration of a timeline with data items, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the disclosed invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a typical environment in which the disclosed invention is used;

Fig. 3 is a flowchart of the main steps associated with the method of the disclosed invention; and

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the main components in a system implementing the disclosed invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention discloses a computerized tool for the creation, updating and usage of a timeline for describing a process event having a sense of time, associating data items relevant to the process event to a timeline associated with the process event, and using the timeline and associated events for reviewing, studying and analyzing the process events. The invention enables the dynamic collection, update and usage of a timeline and associated data, relating directly or indirectly to the process-event. Unlike existing systems, in which the timeline is static, for the timeline of the disclosed invention, both its basic characteristics and its related data evolve over time. The timeline changes as additional data or new points of view are available. The invention offers broad view of the process event, as well as the option to go as deep as required into details and accompanying information related to the process event. In a preferred embodiment of the disclosed invention, a creator defines a timeline for an event, a process, a routine, a story, a phenomenon, or the like, generally referenced as process event. The timeline is associated with a number of characteristics, including: the timeline may or may not be finite, may have any time resolution, including centuries, decades, years, months, days, hours, seconds, fractions of seconds, or the like. The resolution may further be uniform along the timeline or irregular, and vary at various parts of the timeline. As data is collected in relation to a process event, one or more aspects of the timeline may be changed. For example, the resolution associated with a certain part of the timeline may be increased, a finite timeline may be "opened", or the like. Once the timeline is defined, the creator can then receive, collect, identify, verify, manage and attach various data items to discrete points or time ranges along the timeline. The creator may further define user hierarchies for using the timeline, including for example all users, user groups and individual users. The creator can then distribute the timeline on an appropriate media, for example a computerized media such as the internet, intranet, a CD, a DVD, a disk on key or the like to users or to further creators. Such further creators may suggest additional material to be attached to the timeline, the additional material may be relevant to a group of users and distributed to that group, or suggested back to the creator or another entity for attachment to the timeline for the benefit of all users. Additional hierarchies of creators may be implemented as well, including an end-user who may attach materials that are of interest for him or her only, or suggest materials to any hierarchy, including the creator, for distribution among all users. The materials may be data items related to a point in time or a time range of the timeline, such as an image, a text, a web page, an HTML message, an XML, XSL or XSLT item, or the like. The material can alternatively relate to an existing item related to the timeline, such as a talkback which relates to an existing item. For example consider a timeline describing a human pregnancy. The timeline is finite, and is preferably declared as relative, since every pregnancy starts at a certain date, not related to other pregnancies. A pregnancy application may comprise data items relevant to all users, such as medical or health related data relevant for a specific day, week or month of a pregnancy, pictures, growth charts, average measures and pictures describing the fetus development at times, relatively to the beginning of the pregnancy; data related to groups of users, such as tests offered at a certain country along the pregnancy, each test preferably associated with suggested time frame for performing the tests; and personal data, in which a user can insert measures or images relevant to her or to her fetus at a certain point in time, as well as personal notes, links to important personal or public events, or the like. The timeline arrangement offers itself to multiple applications which are highly related to a sense of time, such as but not limited to various processes in the human body including growth, wounds, or illnesses; historical events and processes, including the bible, a history of a region, a country, a nation another entity, a war, or a demographic process; a relationship; a dynamic family tree; biological, geological or astronomical processes, or the like. For example, in an application providing a timeline for the Old and/or New Testament of the Bible, the time axis may be defined as having variable resolution, and variable measures of exact dating.

Thus, the Garden of Eden part may be undated, but it is assumed to be prior to the chapters related to Abraham. Some events may be well dated while the dates or time frames of others are an estimate, an educated guess or not available at all, and only relative dating is available for them. The data items attached to the Bible timeline can include, but are not limited to: philosophy, poetry, past and present thinker's commentaries, paintings, movies, plays, archeological findings, texts, medical records, numeric or other values, other timelines, and any other material that can be conveyed to or stored in a digital form. Each data item can be attached to one or more timelines, whether it is duplicated or referenced from multiple timeline. Materials can be attached to dates or time ranges, whether known, estimated, or imaginary. Moreover, materials can be attached to multiple points or time ranges on a timeline. For example, in a medical application a patient can describe pains bothering him every night, in a bible application an essay or something similar in nature discussing kingship can be attached to all kingdom eras, or the like. Preferably, in large projects multiple creators are active in attaching materials to the timeline. Thus, a skeleton of the timeline with or without additional data may be distributed to a group, wherein any member of the group can then assign materials to dates or date ranges on the timeline, while checking the quality or other parameters of the item, and choosing the most appropriate points in time or time ranges for each piece of material. The timeline can also be distributed to users who submit through a dedicated interface, such as e-mail or any other communication channel, suggestions for materials related directly or indirectly to the process event to be attached to the timeline. Directly related materials are materials that relate to the timeline itself, or to one or more parts of it. Indirectly related materials are materials that relate to other materials that are associated with the timeline, similarly to a talkback. The suggestions are optionally reviewed by a committee, an expert, the creator or another person in charge of verifying the material, rejecting or accepting suggestions, attaching the materials to the timeline and possibly distributing or otherwise making available the added materials, or the updated timeline to all users. The developing timeline can serve as a research tool, as well as a platform for exchanging ideas and information relating to the process events, or to other items that relate to a process event.

Referring now to Fig. I₅ showing a conceptual illustration of a timeline with data items attached thereto. Line 100 represents a timeline of a process event, and the points marked by 104 denote time points along timeline 100. Data item

116, comprising text, is attached to point 124, which is possibly given a name, a date or another identifier. Point 128 has two data items attached, a text 112 and an image 108. Thus, time point 128 is associated with two data items of different types, both relating to the same date or event. Point 132 has an image data item

120. Additional data items may relate to existing data items, and thus indirectly to the timeline, such as data items 150, 154 which relate to data item 108, or data items 158, 162 which relate to data item 116. Data item 150 relates also to point

124 through link 170 and to data item 162 through link 166. Thus, a data item can relate to multiple points in time and to multiple other data items, and can thus relate to the timeline through multiple direct and indirect connections. The direct and indirect reference between items and the timeline generate a hierarchy of data items. Surrounding line 140 represents the overall data items and information related to the process event represented by timeline 100, named Timeline World

Electronic Database (TWED). The boundaries of the TWED may be open or close, i.e. items in the TWED may be related to other timelines, or linked to other data items. For example a data item may be a chapter in a book related to a certain time range, wherein the chapter is related to other chapters associated with other time ranges. It will be apparent that the types of the data items shown I Fig. 1 are exemplary only and additional types are possible, such as paintings, videos, blogs, links or references to other items, or any type. It will be apparent that Fig. 1 is a conceptual illustration, which suggests a visualization method of a timeline and data items of various fields, rather than a storage manner.

Referring now to Fig.2, showing one preferred environment in which the disclosed invention is used. The environment comprises a server 200 running a server side of an application (not shown) for timeline creation and editing. Person 204 (who can also represent a group of persons) is a creator or a supervisor of a specific timeline, uses a computing platform 208 for viewing and/or editing the timeline and the data items attached thereto. One or more users such as users 212, 220, 228 or 236 view the timeline as created by creator 204, using computing platforms 216, 224, 232, or 240 respectively. Computing platforms 216 and 232 are desktop computers, platform 224 is a television, controlled by remote control 228, and platform 240 is a cellular phone. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that additional types of computing platforms can be used, including any type of phone, cellular phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, palm, or the like.

Users 212, 220, 228 or 236 possibly add personal data items to the timeline for their usage only, or suggest additional data items to creator 204 or to another creator. User 204 preferably uses a client side of the application with creator privileges, wherein users 212, 220, 228 and 236 preferably use client side of the application with user privileges only, but all users 204, 212, 220, 228 and 236 can use their respective versions of the application for viewing and analyzing the timeline and directly or indirectly associated data items, and thus get a broad perspective of the process event associated with the timeline. If their privileges allow, creators or uses may process, research, or perform statistical (or other) analysis on the data items related directly or indirectly to a timeline. For example, a physician having access to a timeline associated with a certain disease and having the appropriate privileges, may check the frequency of a side effect suffered by patients receiving a specific treatment to the disease. Each of server 200 and platforms 208, 216, 224, 232, 240 is preferably a computing platform such as a personal computer, a mainframe computer, a network computer, an interactive television, a cellular phone-any other remote wireless device, or any other type of computing platform that is provisioned with a memory device (not shown), a CPU or microprocessor device, and several I/O ports (not shown). Each computing platform is preferably provisioned with input and/or output device, such as a keyboard of all types, a mouse or another pointing device, a monitor, a microphone, loud speakers or similar devices intended for receiving and transmitting information, including information related to the timeline or to data items attached thereto. Alternatively, server 200 or any of platforms 208, 216, 224, 232, 240 can be a DSP chip, an ASIC device storing the commands and data necessary to execute the methods of the present invention. Server 200 is preferably provisioned or in communication with a storage device for storing information related to the timelines and the data items attached thereto. The storage device can be a magnetic tape, a magnetic disc, an optical disc, a laser disc, a mass-storage device, or the like. Server 200 and platforms 208, 216, 224, 232 and 240 are preferably connected through a communication network such as the internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless network, or the like. Alternatively, two or more units of server 200 and platforms 208, 216, 224, 232, 240 can be connected in a network such as a local area network, a wide area network, a wireless network or the like. The timeline application running on server 200 and platforms 208, 216, 224, 232, 240 is preferably a software, having a server side and a client side, comprising executables, scripts, modules, libraries or other components, and written in any programming language, such as C, C++, C#, Java or others and under any development environment or operating system such as Windows, .NET, Linux and others. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, there is preferably one instance of the timeline and data items which is stored on a storage device associated with server 200, and accessed by all users, including creators and viewers. However, each creator or user can perform operations such as viewing, data items additions, or research according to his or her privileges. In a preferred embodiment any user, including a creator can view data items whose creator allowed them to be viewed. Thus, a preferred embodiment can disable a creator from viewing personal items added by a user, while a user can not view items not allowed for him or for a group he belongs to.

In another preferred alternative, creator 204 uses a computing platform

208 for developing a timeline and attaching data items thereto. Creator 204 then distributes the products to users 212, 220, 228, 236 over a storage device such as one or more CDs, DVDs, e-mail, download from the Internet, or the like. A viewing (and possibly personal items addition) application is optionally distributed with the timeline, or is available from another source. Users 212, 220, 228, 236 view the timeline and data items, and possibly add personal data items, by using the viewing application. Users 212, 220, 228, 236 can further suggest data items to creator 204 through e-mail, fax, a web page, phone, cell phone, interactive TV, a wireless remote device, or any other interface. If the data items are confirmed to be added, the updated timeline can be distributed to further users in the same manner as the initial distribution.

The timeline and data items are preferably stored in a database such as SQL, access, Oracle or any other commercially available or proprietary database, including a file system or the like. The data items are preferably stored in a manner enabling retrieval by date, event, event type, or the like. The specific features of the current invention are intended to add to any standard storage, query or retrieval feature offered by the underlying mechanism, and not to replace or eliminate them. The attachment and editing mechanisms can be performed using proprietary interfaces, or using existing mechanisms such as Wiki (www.wiki.com) technology or Ajax technique for constructing a timeline.

Referring now to Fig. 3, showing the main steps associated with a preferred embodiment of the method of the disclosed invention. In a preferred embodiment, a user, preferably a creator of a specific application starts with defining a timeline and associated characteristics at step 304. The definition optionally comprises reference to the following characteristics: 1. finiteness: is the timeline finite or not, i.e. does the timeline have a known start or end times? A timeline has two ends, therefore the timeline can be finite, infinite, or finite on one hand and infinite on the other end. For example, regarding a Bible application, the answer is yes (although the times are not absolutely determined, as discussed below), while for an geological process the answer is no, since the process is still active. 2. Absoluteness: defining whether the timeline is absolute, such as in an application related to a historic event, such as World War II; relative, such as a pregnancy application; or periodical such as an application related to seasons, including an agricultural process event. If the timeline of part thereof is absolute, a value, i.e. a time indication, whether exact or approximated is optionally attached to the timeline, one or more of its ends, one or more points or parts thereof. 3. Resolution: defining resolution for the timeline or part thereof. For example, parts of a geological application can be measured in millions of years, while other parts, discussing the eruption of a volcano may be measured in minutes or seconds. As nano technologies develop, nano-seconds resolution may become more and more useful for certain process events. 4. Assigning values and characteristics such as names to known points in time or time ranges along the timeline. For example, in an application discussing a pregnancy, time points can be attached to every hour, day, week, or month, containing the serial number of the hour/day/week/month; additional time points can be attached to each time range, for example the first trimester contains the time range from the beginning until the end of the third month..

A timeline or a part thereof can even be imaginary, such as a timeline of a fiction book. However, materials attached to such timeline may be real, and one or more aspects thereof are stored on a storage device. A creator can later change any of the parameters describing the timeline, with the evolution of the timeline, thus step 304 is accessible from later steps. Thus, for example a finite timeline can be "opened" and continued. At step 308, the creator optionally defines user hierarchies. The hierarchies determine the permissions or authorizations given to users to view, contribute, or update the timeline, points or time ranges thereof, and associated data items. For example, a pregnancy application may comprise dates that are of interest to multiple users of the application that are entered by the application creator, and personal dates that are later entered by a user, and are meant not to be shared by other users. The timeline is optionally implemented as a database table, whose index is the time range. A single entry in the table may relate to a single point in time, to a multiplicity of points in time, to a time range, to a periodical time indication or to the timeline as a whole. Step 308 can also be re-accessed at a later stage, for example from step 328. At step 312, data items are suggested to be added to the timeline application. The data items cam be collected from any source and include any data type that can be accessed by a computer, such as but not limited to images, audio, video, texts, links, maps, graphs, web pages, HTML messages, XML, XSL XSLT items, or any other material. Each data item is optionally attached with its creation date, for example the date at which a picture was taken. The data item may also be accompanied with one or more points in time, time ranges, or existing data items with which it is recommended to be associated. Optionally, an access level determining the users or groups of users which will be allowed to view the information may be applied to a data item. At step 316 the data item is optionally confirmed for attachment to the timeline, and at step 320 it is actually attached, provided it was confirmed at step 316. Since step 316 is optional, in a preferred embodiment a data item can be attached to the timeline or to another data item without approval. The data item is attached to one or more points in time, time ranges or existing data items or event associated with the time line. The data item is optionally associated with its creation date, and/or with the date of attachment to the timeline. These optional dates provide valuable tool for research, statistics or other analysis of the timeline and its associated data items. A data item is preferably attached to a timeline in an existing point or time range, or to a newly created point or time range. A newly created point or time range is preferably assigned a name, a date, a date range, or another identifier, such as "The Paleolithic era". The confirmation and actual attachment of a data item to a timeline can be performed by the same person that suggested the materials, such as the creator of the application, in which case the confirmation step may be skipped. However, materials may alternatively be suggested by other users, for the usage of further users, in which case they may optionally go through an approval step. The confirmation can be based on criteria such as but not limited to: the quality of the materials, the suitability of the material to the application, legality (for example, inciting materials, or materials infringing on copyright or will be forbidden) or the like. The attachment of a data item to the timeline preformed at step 320 may include also actions as proofreading, connecting the data item to additional data items, categorizing the items or the like. The actual attachment of a data item to a timeline or to another data item is preferably performed by ordinary database techniques, such as associating an item to a date by filling a time field or another indication in a record or another data structure describing the item, and linking the data structure to appropriate entries in a table or another data structure describing the timeline, wherein the index of the table or the other data structure is preferably the time domain. Additional implementations can be used, which involve relational databases, object oriented databases or other structures. Steps 312, 316, and 320 are repeated for each data item to be added to the timeline. At step 324, the timeline is distributed to users. The users may include end-users who view the information and/or add data items or time stamps for their own usage only, or other entities. For example, in a Bible application, a further user which receives the information after an initial creation may be a committee in charge of adding reference to artistic works related to events or timestamps related to the Bible. The distribution may take any form currently known or that will be developed in the future. For example, a timeline can be downloaded from a communication network such as the internet, distributed on a disk, a CD, a disk on key or any other optionally portable media. Alternatively, the timeline can be stored on a storage device and accessed by multiple users, wherein users are preferably identified by a user name and optionally a password for viewing classified or private materials. Once a timeline (or a permission to use one) was received by a user, at step 328 the user can view the timeline and associated events, perform queries or otherwise view and analyze, study and relate to the content. The user further has the option of adding materials to the timeline. If the materials are private ones for example personal notes associated with one's pregnancy, they can be added to the timeline and viewed by the user only. In this case, steps 312 316 and 320 are performed by the user as a single step. However, if the user wishes to add materials that will be available to other users as well, he suggests them to another person such as the creator, another distributor or the like at step 312. The other person can confirm the data at step 316 and attach it to the timeline at step 320. If the data is not confirmed it will not be attached to the timeline. If the creator has a question or a comment to the user who suggested a data item, they can communicate, after which the materials may be confirmed or not. The data items are optionally suggested to the confirming person via means like e-mail a dedicated interface, such as a specialized web page, a wireless remote device, a phone, a cell phone, an interactive television or others. Once the materials referred by users are confirmed, an updated version of the timeline can be distributed to users, for example by uploading the updated version to the communication network.

It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that multiple levels of creators and users may exist. For example, a basic timeline of a historic event may be created, then, specific customizations for groups such as elementary schools, high schools or universities can be performed by the addition of relevant materials, and specific users, like teachers or students can add their own materials, thus creating adding a third or a fourth level to the hierarchy. If a certain elementary school wishes that materials added by his stuff be shared by other elementary schools, can suggest them to the initial creator for addition to the basic timeline or to the version intended to all elementary schools, and similarly for the other entities. However, personal materials are added by a certain user, and are intended only for his or her usage, or to people receiving the timeline from the certain user.

Referring now to Fig. 4, showing the main components in a preferred embodiment of an apparatus according to the disclosed invention. The apparatus is preferably implemented as software executed on one or more computing platforms as described in association with Fig. 2 above. The apparatus comprises a user package 404, and a contributor package 408, wherein contributor package

408 comprises user package 404 and additional components, so that contributor package 408 provides to a contributor all the abilities of user package 404, and additional ones. User package 404 comprises a timeline and data items viewer 412 for viewing the timeline and the attached data items. An exemplary visualization is shown in Fig. 1, although different visualizations can be used, including textual, tabloid, stoppable ticker presentation, or any other presentation. The timeline is preferably visualized in any required resolution, wherein the user can zoom in on any part of the timeline, and zoom back out. In any viewed part of the timeline, the relevant points and time ranges are marked, and the available materials are preferably shown in a previewing manner, such as a thumbnail for an image.

When the user clicks with a mouse or another pointing device on a data item, a viewer is opened, in which the user can view the full details of the data item, according to the item's type. At each state, the user is presented with the available options, for example viewing, editing, researching, performing statistics, or the like. The options may be suggested in any manner, such as a right mouse click, selection from a menu, clicking on an icon, or the like. Optionally, personal data items are distinguishable, by being marked differently than generally-available items, or items available to a group of uses. For the personal items, an editing option is optionally suggested to the user in addition to the viewing option, so that a user can edit his or her personal data items. For example, editing a textual data item will -open a word processor, wherein viewing the same will open a word processor with a read-only copy of the data item. User package 404 further comprises an information retrieval component 416, for retrieving information related to the timeline. The information can be retrieved using any currently available search engine technology, or any search technology that will be developed in the future. Particularly a specific timeline search engine can be developed, which can search information according to a time indication, such as a date, multiple dates, a date range, a recurring date indication or the like. The search engine can search within the data associated with one or more timelines, or within all data items related directly or indirectly (possibly through multiple levels of indirect linking) to a timeline. The search engine or retrieval component can search according to a timestamp, time range, or periodical time indication associated with the timeline, for example a user can request all materials related to the "120th day of pregnancy", an event associated with the timeline, according to keywords related to the data items, to categories associated with a data item, for example "political essays", or according to the type of the data items, such as "images". Data can also be retrieved according to its relation to a timeline, for example a user can choose to see only data directly related to the timeline, or data indirectly related to the timeline, i.e. data that relates to further data items. Another query or retrieval criteria can combine any two or more simpler criteria, using any and/or/complex connections thereof. Additional retrieval options can be suggested and implemented without departing from the spirit of the current invention. When retrieval is performed, a user may be presented with a graphical presentation of the timeline including the relevant materials, to which he or she can zoom in. Alternatively, the user is presented with a textual or a tabular listing of all available materials or any other presentation method. Using personal items attachment component 420, a user can attach personal items to an existing timeline, such as personal notes related to pregnancy, favorite images to a historical event or the like. The personal items will be available to the user in future uses of the timeline, but will not be available to other users unless they are suggested to a creator, confirmed and attached to the timeline. Using material suggesting to higher levels component 424 a user can suggest to a creator of the timeline or another entity in a higher level of the timeline hierarchy, i.e. a person or a group of person in charge of crating or updating the timeline for a group of users, from which the user got the timeline, materials to be added. The suggestion can be made in e-mail, via a web page, wireless remote device, a cell phone, an interactive television, or any other form designed for this purpose. The receiver of the suggestion can then communicate with the user and receive clarifications, additions or the like. Yet another component, which preferably can be used only by persons or institutes having appropriate privilege is research and analysis component 426, which enables additional retrievals of information, statistics, or other research tools for the timeline and associated data. An optional component in user package 404 is toolbar support component 427, which generates a timeline toolbar, and preferably attaches the toolbar to any standard program, such as word processing, internet browser or others. The toolbar may contain buttons for starting a new timeline, attaching an item to a timeline and the like, according to the user's privileges. Contributor package 408 comprises, in addition to user package 404 a timeline creation component 428. Timeline creation component 428 enables the initial creation of timelines, by defining a name or another identifier for the timeline and assigning properties to said timeline, such as any of the following properties: the timeline's absoluteness, relativeness, or periodicity; known ends and time stamps of or within the timeline if any, or other properties associated with the timeline. Contributor package 408 further comprises a data items checking component 432 for receiving data items suggested by lower level users, analyzing them and deciding whether they are adequate for the timeline. The checking is done using any criteria such as quality, size, adequateness, composer, type, or other. If the data items are found adequate, they are attached to the timeline by data items attachment component 436. Component 436 does not bar the creator from using personal data items attachment component 420, for attaching his or her personal items which will not be available to all users even after distribution. Another component of contributor package 408 is timeline distribution component 440 for distributing the timeline and all non-personal attached data items to users. The distribution can be made on portable storage, via a downloadable element on a web page, wireless remote device, a phone, a cell phone, an interactive television, or via enabling access to an element available on a network. Yet another component of contributor package 408 is permission management component 444, for defining hierarchies of users, comprising for example creators, doctors or patients for a medicinal application, researchers and analysts of the process event or the like, and for assigning and managing permissions levels or access levels to the timeline, editing options and data items. The disclosed invention provides a method and apparatus for defining a timeline associated with a process event, attaching data items to the timeline, and viewing the timeline and its attached data. Having access to data associated with a process event along its timeline provides a user with optional personalization and better understanding of the process event. Having a timeline with relevant information provides a useful tool in the research of multiple fields, including medicine, agricultural, historic processes and human behavior studies.

It will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art that the apparatus of the disclosed invention can also be used by a person, functioning as a creator and sole user. In such case, the person defines the timeline, attaches data items and uses them. On the other hand, such apparatus can be used for large scale projects employing significant manpower in collecting and attaching materials, and serving many other people for research, such as a Bible project, concentrating all material relevant to researching the bible, including thinker's essays, interpretations and explanations, art works such as paintings, pictures, sculptures or movies, audio files of read chapters, and any other material as will be approved by a person or a group of persons implementing the disclosed invention.

Another useful family of applications can be applications for timeline of medical situations, for example a wound, a serious disease, rehabilitation after a procedure such as a surgery, growth processes related for example to babies, children, elder people, or the like. For such situations, a timeline describes the development of a disease, starting at the earliest possible day of diagnosis, or even earlier. A creator of an application may attach items such as images showing an image of the disease or the wound at times, protocols according to which medicaments can be applied to a patient, images of the expected course of the disease, and all other data relevant to the disease, including researches, similar diseases or the like. Then, a physician can maintain a timeline based on the timeline of the disease, with his own added materials, such as tried protocols and their results. A patient can maintain another copy with personal notes, images showing his disease or the like. When a certain timeline is given, a user can ask to cross or correlate the timeline or parts thereof with another timeline, in order to understand the interrelationship between two process events, such as a historic event and a personal biography of a person at the period of the historic event. When crossing two timelines, an apparatus according to the disclosed invention can present the common parts of the timeline, with a union or an intersection of the events at the common parts.

Another option associated with the current invention is adding a printing option for a timeline or to a part thereof. Choosing this option will print the timeline with all indicated point in time or time ranges, and all printable data items, or a printed version of each item. Thus, a printed version of the timeline will provide a chronologically-oriented book of the process event and related data. Yet another application can be of a dual (or another multiple) timeline describing a relationship between two or more people, in which some items are shared as common experiences, while each person maintains his own copy with his own personal data items, such as texts, images or other items related to the relationship.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the disclosed method and apparatus are exemplary only, and different composition or order of components or steps can be designed to achieve the goals of the disclosed invention without departing from the spirit of the current invention.

It will be further appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the disclosed method and apparatus are not limited to the applications or application types mentioned above, and that the method and apparatus can be used for additional applications of all fields, including but not limited to agricultural and botanical research, healing from medical procedures, diseases, sports or sport related event such as football, baseball and basketball, including collecting data form participants and spectators in different channels, flights, vacations, ceremonies and others. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic generation of a timeline associated with a process event, and associating an at least one data item related to the process event with the timeline, the method comprising the steps of: defining a timeline for the process event, the timeline having two ends, and the timeline associated with an at least one characteristic; and associating the at least one data item with the timeline, by associating a first data structure representing the at least one data item to a second data structure representing the timeline.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: finiteness; absoluteness; resolution, or a timestamp assigned to an at least one part of the timeline.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of retrieving the at least one data item.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one data item is retrieved according to any of the group consisting of: a point in time; a time range; a periodical time indication; an event associated with the timeline; a keyword; a category associated with the data item, a type associated with the data item; or a second data item.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of viewing the at least one data item.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of analyzing the at least one data item.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein analyzing the at least one data item, comprises statistical analysis of the at least one data item.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the process event is a narrative having a timeline.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the narrative is the Bible.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the narrative is the Old Testament.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the narrative is the New Testament.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the process event is a medical situation.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the process event is a medical research.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the process event is a pregnancy.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the process event is a sport related activity.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the process event is an interactive game related activity.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one data item is of a type selected from the group consisting of: a text; an image; a web page; an HTML message; and XML message; an XSL message; an XSLT message; a video; an audio; or an art work.

18. The method claim 1 wherein the at least one data item is a personal data item.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one data item is associated with an at least one time range of the timeline.

20. The method bf claim 1 wherein the at least one data item is associated with an at least one time point of the timeline.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one data item is associated with an at least one second data item associated with the timeline.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: suggesting an at least one second data item to be added to the timeline, to a user having appropriate privileges; and checking the at least one second data item.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of distributing the timeline and the at least one data item to an at least one user.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of assigning a time resolution to an at least one part of the timeline.

25. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of determining whether the timeline is absolute, relative, or periodical.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of printing the timeline or an at least one data item associated therewith.

27.An apparatus for creating a timeline associated with a process event, and attaching an at least one data item associated with the process event, the apparatus comprising: a timeline creation component for creating a timeline, the timeline having two ends, and the timeline associated with an at least one characteristic; a data item attachment component for attaching the at least one data item to the timeline, by associating a first data structure representing the at least one data item to a second data structure representing the timeline.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a viewing component for viewing the timeline and the at least one data item.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the viewing component enables zooming on an at least one part of the timeline.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the viewing component presents the at least one data item according to a type associated with the data item.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising an information retrieval component for retrieving an at least one data item related to the timeline.

32. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a timeline search engine.

33. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising: a component for suggesting to a user of the apparatus having appropriate privileges to attach an at least one second data item to the timeline; and a component for checking the at least one second data item suggested to the at least one user of the apparatus, using an at least one criteria.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the at least one criteria is selected from the group consisting of: quality, adequateness, composer, size, or type.

35. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a permission management component for managing user access privileges for the apparatus.

36. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a personal data item attachment component for attaching an at least one personal data item to the timeline.

37. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the process event is a narrative having a timeline.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the narrative is the Bible.

39. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the process event is a medical situation.

40. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the process event is a pregnancy.

41. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the process event is a sport related activity.

42. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the process event is an interactive TV or internet game related activity.

43. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the at least one data item is of a type taken from the group consisting of: a text; an image; a web page; an HTML message; and XML message; an XSL message; an XSLT message; a video; an audio; or an art work.

44. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a toolbar support component for creating a timeline toolbar and attaching said toolbar to an application.

45. A computer readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a general purpose computer, the set of instructions comprising: defining a timeline for a process event, the timeline having two ends, and the timeline associated with an at least one characteristic; and attaching an at least one data item to the timeline, by associating a first data structure representing the at least one data item to a second data structure representing the timeline.