Method and system for restructuring a visualization graph so that entities linked to a common node are replaced by the common node in response to a predetermined stimulus

1. A method of providing a visualization graph on a computer comprising:

storing, in computer memory, data corresponding to a plurality of entities, wherein a semantic net includes the entities and wherein the entities are linked to each other by a plurality of relations;

in response to a query with respect to an entity selected from the entities, providing a visualization graph representing the results of the query on a display device, wherein the visualization graph includes a focus entity defined by a user or the query;

using context information to determine at least one entity to be output in the results, wherein the at least one entity is indirectly related to the focus entity;

selecting, from the visualization graph, a plurality of entity groups, each having a single corresponding group node that is expandable or collapsible, and a unique set of the entities, wherein the set of entities within each of the entity groups share at least two common relations, and the entity groups are selected to result in the most even distribution of entities over the entity groups;

representing the entities having common relations as being linked to a common node on the visualization graph, wherein the entities linked to the common node are associated with a further entity via a link representing a relation that is not common to all of the entities linked to the common node;

causing the entities linked to the common node to display in response to a first predetermined stimulus, wherein in response to the first predetermined stimulus, the common node remains in the visualization graph to represent the common relation; and

causing the visualization graph to restructure so that the entities linked to the common node are replaced by the common node in response to a second predetermined stimulus.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

representing the entity groups on the graph as a plurality of nodes; and

representing only relations in which all of the nodes are in common.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting step includes abstracting the relations to identify the common relation.

4. A computer for providing a visualization graph, the computer comprising:

a storage medium having recorded therein processor-readable code processable to provide a visualization graph, the code including a query code processable to perform a query on the database;

a database configured to store data corresponding to a plurality of entities, wherein a semantic net includes the entities and wherein the entities are linked to each other by a plurality of relations;

a query interface adapted, so that in response to a query with respect to an entity selected from the plurality of entities, a visualization graph is provided representing the results of the query, wherein the code includes selection code processable to select, from the visualization graph, a plurality of entity groups, each having a single corresponding group node that is expandable or collapsible, and a unique set of the plurality of entities, wherein the set of entities within each of the entity groups share two common relations, further wherein the entity groups are selected to result in the most even distribution of entities over the entity groups, and the query interface is further adapted to store the selected entities as a plurality of groups;

an output device configured to output the visualization graph, wherein the visualization graph includes a focus entity defined by a user or the query, and wherein the code further includes context code processable to express context information that is processable to determine at least one entity to be output in the results, wherein the at least one entity is indirectly related to the focus entity;

wherein the code further includes representation code processable to represent the entities having common relations as being linked to a common node on the visualization graph, wherein the entities linked to the common node are associated with a further entity via a link representing a relation that is not common to all of the entities linked to the common node, and in response to a predetermined stimulus, the representation code causes the entities linked to the common node to display, and in response to a further predetermined stimulus the representation code causes the visualization graph to restructure so that the entities linked to the common node are replaced by the common node.

5. The computer of claim 4 , wherein the code further includes representation code processable to represent the entity groups on the graph as a plurality of nodes, wherein only relations for which all of the nodes are in common are represented.

6. The computer of claim 4 , wherein the code further includes abstraction code processable to abstract the relations to identify the common relation.

7. A program storage device readable by a processing apparatus, the device embodying instructions executable by the processor to perform the steps of:

storing data corresponding to a plurality of entities, wherein a semantic net includes the entities and wherein the entities are linked to each other by a plurality of relations;

in response to a query with respect to an entity selected from the, providing a visualization graph representing the results of the query on a display device, wherein the visualization graph includes a focus entity defined by a user or the query;

using context information to determine at least one entity to be output in the results, wherein the at least one entity is indirectly related to the focus entity;

selecting, from the visualization graph, a plurality of entity groups, each having a single corresponding group node that is expandable or collapsible, and a unique set of the entities, wherein the set of entities within each of the selected entity groups share at least two common relations, and the entity groups are selected to result in the most even distribution of entities over the entity groups;

representing the entities having common relations as being linked to a common node on the visualization graph, wherein the entities linked to the common node are associated with a further entity via a link representing a relation that is not common to all of the entities linked to the common node;

causing the entities linked to the common node to display in response to a first predetermined stimulus, wherein in response to the first predetermined stimulus, the common node remains in the visualization graph to represent the common relation; and

causing the graph to restructure so that the entities linked to the common node are replaced by the common node in response to a second predetermined stimulus.