Abstract: A method and system of providing a three dimensional spatial user interface (SUI) to a user of a computing device. The SUI may be manipulated in three dimensions and contains a plurality of portals. A portal may contain a sensory cue that provides a reminder as to the content of the portal. Upon selection of a portal, an application program associated with the cue in the portal is invoked. Portals may also contain further instances of the SUI of the present invention, thus providing hierarchical depth. In the preferred embodiment, the SUI is implemented as a sphere and may be viewed from an external or internal perspective.

Abstract: A method and system of providing a three dimensional spatial user interface (SUI) to a user of a computing device. The SUI may be manipulated in three dimensions and contains a plurality of portals. A portal may contain a sensory cue that provides a reminder as to the content of the portal. Upon selection of a portal, an application program associated with the cue in the portal is invoked. Portals may also contain further instances of the SUI of the present invention, thus providing hierarchical depth. In the preferred embodiment, the SUI is implemented as a sphere and may be viewed from an external or internal perspective.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of representing information on a three-dimensional user interface having multiple portals, in which data is associated with each of the portals. A symbolic marker is associated with each of the portals according to a pre-specified scheme, and displayed in the respective portals. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the symbolic marker is a colored marker. By color-coding the portals, data associated with the portals can be classified into a number of categories to provide the user with a summary of the data on the three-dimensional user interface at a high level of abstraction. The three-dimensional user interface may be adapted to update the colored markers more efficiently, and to display them using less computing resources than would be required if more memory-sensitive visual cues were displayed.

Abstract: A method and system of providing a three dimensional spatial user interface (SUI) to a user of a computing device. The SUI may be manipulated in three dimensions and contains a plurality of portals. A portal may contain a sensory cue that provides a reminder as to the content of the portal. Upon selection of a portal, an application program associated with the cue in the portal is invoked. Portals may also contain further instances of the SUI of the present invention, thus providing hierarchical depth. In the preferred embodiment, the SUI is implemented as a sphere and may be viewed from an external or internal perspective.