method and search engine for an electronic database to explore the contents of an electronic database

摘要

The present invention relates to an electronic database search engine comprising an electronic memory device suitable for storing and releasing elements from the database, a display unit, a user interface for selecting and displaying at least one element from the database on the display unit, and control means for controlling the user interface, which user interface allocates icons to the elements of the database, which icons are suitable for display on the display unit at mutual distances that depend on the elements' degree of dissimilarity, wherein the user interface at initial utilization displays at least some icons on the display unit. With the control means any arbitrary position can be selected on the display unit and, depending on the control means, the user interface displays or removes an icon that relates to an element of the database and of which degree of dissimilarity, in respect of the elements whose corresponding icons are displayed elsewhere on the display unit, corresponds with the distance taken up by the selected position in relation to the icons displayed elsewhere on the display unit.