WO2001035275A2 - Building metaphor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention concerns a software-based metaphor for a building which is represented as data which is located on a distributed computer network. The building metaphor includes a template which defines an arrangement of elements to be included in a virtual office and defines how those elements are queried in a database. The database contains information which relates to a plurality of specific virtual offices. A station connected to a distributed computer network submits virtual office data to a software engine. The software engine responds by accessing the database and populating the template with information relating to one of a plurality of specific virtual offices. A plurality of virtual offices in a building metaphor are definable by processing a respective virtual office address.

Description

BUILDING METAPHOR

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority from provisional U.S. Patent Application 60/165,002, entitled "Building Metaphor,"fιled on November 12, 1999, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to database presentation techniques and more particularly to a Web site in which navigation requests are processed by a database engine to dynamically construct Web pages in a predefined manner, such as through a software represented metaphor of a physical space.

Description of Related Art

Physicians typically derive their patient base from word-of-mouth referrals. These word of mouth referrals generally come from former patients. Thus, physicians are dependent on patients when building a patient base. For a new physician with a small patient base creating a larger patient base from word-of-mouth referrals can be slow going. Advertisements are not necessarily a useful alternative. Advertisements are designed to quickly capture a person's attention. Advertisements generally convey a minimal amount of information in a minimal amount of space. When choosing a physician, people want to know information such as the physician's background, schooling, internships and specialties. An advertisement can not effectively capture this information because the information is dense. Dense material is not eye catching. Thus, by nature, dense material is not conducive to advertising.

Besides client base development issues, physicians have specialized communication issues as well. Physicians are responsible for a great many patients. Each patient has a specialized set of medical needs. Physicians lead hectic schedules in order to care for their many patients. Consequently, physicians are constantly under time pressure. Thus, physicians must convey to their patients a large amount of vital information in a small amount of time. Often times, this leads to mis-communication.

Many Internet-based companies have attempted to help physicians develop client bases and improve client communication. Due to the vastness of the Internet, these services have not been widely used.

It is therefore desirable to develop a software metaphor of a physical space that solves the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention concerns a software-based metaphor for a building which is represented as data which is located on a distributed computer network. The building metaphor includes a template which defines an arrangement of elements to be included in a virtual office and defines how those elements are queried in a database. The database contains information which relates a plurality of specific virtual offices. A station connected to a distributed computer network submits virtual office data to a software engine. The software engine responds by accessing the database and populating the template with information relating to one of a plurality of specific virtual offices. A plurality of virtual offices in a building metaphor are definable by processing a respective virtual office address.

In another aspect, the present invention concerns a method for creating a building metaphor. Virtual office address data is accepted across a distributed network from a station. The virtual office address data from the station is then processed. Finally, a populated template is transmitted across the distributed computer network.

In another aspect, the invention provides a software construct for displaying a metaphor on a monitor connected to a computing machine. The software construct comprises a locator section which displays to a user their position within a virtual office community.

Another aspect concerns a method for providing persons access to a specific virtual office. The method includes the steps of distributing a business card having a URL address, which resolves into a first Web page hosted by a Web server, and a virtual office address, which accesses a second Web page hosted by the Web server. The URL address of and the virtual office address are received at a client machine connectable to the Internet. The URL address and the virtual office address are resolved into a unique Web page maintained at the server, and displayed at the client machine.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for the purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and drawings of illustrative embodiments of the invention wherein like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a network arrangement useful for implementing a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a flowchart depicting a process for populating a template in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a screen layout of a template populated using the process of Fig. 2; Figure 4 is an exemplary Web page in accordance with the preferred embodiment;

Figure 5 is another Web page that can be used in accordance with the preferred embodiment; Figure 6 is an exemplary virtual office accessed from a Web page such as shown in Fig. 4 or 5;

Figure 7 is a further Web page within the virtual office; and, Figure 8 is a copy of a business card depicting a professional's Internet office address. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

By way of overview and introduction, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a software tool and technique for imposing organization on data in a relational database for convenient access by users in a distributed computer network such as the Internet. In particular, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a software metaphor of a building or tower, with data concerning individuals

(e.g. professionals or tradesmen or club members) being arranged on "floors," within "sections," and within virtual "rooms" or "offices" or "suites." Individuals are assigned virtual offices which can be advertised on business cards or through other means. People interested in information about a particular individual enters that individual's virtual office number into a machine that is configured to process (or convey to another machine that is configured to process) virtual address data. The preferred embodiment of the present invention routes the inquirer to that individual's virtual office where further information is provided. In a basic model, information can be arranged by floor and room number. In a complex model, the software metaphor can be extended across multiple buildings to define a virtual city by adding a "building" identifier. In the virtual city model, visitors access information by specifying building, floor, section and room numbers. The building metaphor is an artificial construct established by software using tables in a relational database and a software engine. The software engine accesses the relational database and pulls together disparate elements into an HTML page for presentation on a distributed computer network. Using a query-driven software engine, visitors can navigate a Web site with requested information being dynamically rendered with the user's movements (e.g., mouse clicks) within the virtual space (e.g., building or city). Thus, visitors can move down hallways and corridors to access virtual offices, ride elevators and enter and exit particular buildings through a lobby. The software engine manages the visitor's actions by using predefined criteria maintained in the relational database.

The query-driven software engine uses a series of tables which, in the presently preferred embodiment, are part of a relational database written in SQL7. The information stored in the tables populates one of several templates which define an HTML file. The software engine conveys the HTML file to a user at a client-side station. As the user interacts with each page and makes an HTTP request to the server, a specific question is submitted to the server. This specific question can be either presented to the user or passed through a hidden field. This specific question causes one or more queries to be processed by the relational database. The relational database, in turn, responds to the specific question with an office location, descriptive information relating to that office, and follow-up questions to the specific question submitted. This information is combined with a selected HTML template using a scripting language such as JAVA Script, Perl or VBScript. The combined file is transmitted back to the client-side station.

With reference now to Fig.l, a network arrangement 100 of distributed computers is illustrated in which users at a client-side station 110 operate a conventional Web browser such as those commercially available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington under the name Internet Explorer or Netscape Communications, Inc. of Mountain View, California under the name Communicator. There can be a plurality of client-side stations 110 all connected through a distributed computer network 120 such as the Internet. A server 130 is configured, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, to implement a software metaphor using a relational database 150 and a software engine 140 as described herein.

A user at the client-side station 1 10 accesses the server 130 by addressing the server 130 in a conventional manner. For example, the user can enter the Web site URL hosted by that server 130 with a browser software package or the like. In response, the server 130 provides over the distributed computer network 120 a Web page such as the page 112 shown on the display screen at the client-side station 1 10.

The Web page 1 12 includes, among other elements, question text 114 which prompts the user and guides him or her to further information available from the server 130. In addition, the Web page 112 includes a staff picture 116 which provides a virtual hosted setting for the question text 114. With each hypertext link or form that the user selects, a template name, question ID and suite number are conveyed to the server 130 across the distributed computer network 120.

At the server 130, the template name is used to retrieve a specific template file 132 which contains both query statements 134 and an HTML form 136. The query statements 134 process the incoming question ID and determine the appropriate suite number to forward to the relational database 150 for processing. As will be appreciated from the following discussion, depending on the question ID that was provided by the Web page 112, the suite number that was provided may or may not be used to query the relational database 150. Briefly, if the question ID dictates that a different room is to be displayed, then the suite number submitted to the server 130 is ignored. This is because the user's present suite number does not reflect the user's future suite number. On the other hand, if the question ID dictates that a follow-up question can be presented in the same suite, then the suite number passed to the server 130 will be forwarded to the relational database 150. The query statements 134 are then passed to a software engine 140 which translates the query statements 134 into a form suitable for the relational database 150. In the preferred embodiment, scripts generated by a commercially available software package such as Cold Fusion translate the query statements 134 into a form suitable for an SQL7 relational database 150. The relational database 150 responds to the query 134 in a conventional manner. The software engine 140, in tum, populates the elements of the HTML form 136 with the data retrieved from the relational database 150. The software engine 140 then conveys the populated HTML form 136 across the distributed computer network 120 to the user's client-side station 1 10. The HTML form is displayed in a conventional manner, such as. in the active window of the user's browser.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the Web page 112 includes a suite box 118 in which the user can directly enter the suite number to which he or she wishes to visit (see Figs. 4 and 5). In that case, the client-side station 110 submits to a server 130 a suite number entered in the suite box 1 18 and a template name. It should be understood that because the user has entered the precise location of the room to which he or she wishes to visit, there is no need for conveying a question ID to the server 130 or for processing a question ID using the query statements 134. Instead, the query statements 134 respond to the suite number the user provided in the suite box 118. The suite number is then conveyed to the software engine 140 to retrieve the specified suite number from the relational database 150. The software engine 140 then populates the HTML form 136 with the data for that suite number. The software engine 140 then returns the HTML form 136 to the client- side station 110 over the distributed computer network 120. The specific template file 132 identified to the server 130 responds to an entry submitted into the suite box 118.

The specific template file 132 preferably includes a static question ID which is passed to both the software engine 140 and the relational database 150 so that appropriate child questions or follow-up questions are presented to the user from that new location.

The tables in the relational database 150 are described below.

1. Floor Table This table defines the floor numbers and the names for the floors in a given virtual building within the software metaphor, (e.g. Floor 38 - Cardiology)

2. Section Table

This table includes section numbers and names. A number of sections can be provided for each floor. The appropriate floor for any given section is identified with a 'floor number' field within this table (i.e. floor number is a foreign key which links to the floors table).

3. Staff Type Table

This table defines the staff who are selectively associated with a given location in the software metaphor. The staff can include in a medical building, for example, secretaries, nurses, building escorts, residents, pharmacists, and the like.

This table also specifies the HTML templates within which the staff is displayed at a client-side station 110.

4. Office Staff Table

This table defines individual staff members by name, picture, and staff type. The staff type is determined by a foreign key relationship to the staff type table.

This table also has entries for floor, section and office numbers so that each staff member is located in the predefined place within the virtual building. The floor number, office number, section number and staff type are all foreign keys within this table. These keys allow for the correct description of the staff member and ensure their appropriate placement in the virtual space generated by the software engine 140.

In other words, the values of such parameters ensure that a particular staff member will be displayed at the client-side station 110 in a certain location.

5. Suite Table This table describes a room or office in detail. The suite table is the most specific and well-defined element in the software building metaphor. The suite table defines floor and section number ID's as foreign keys to link to those respective tables.

The suite table describes the tenant using identifying data such as a first name, last name, company name, license number, physical office address, and the like. The table also stores a link to a picture of the tenant. Alternatively, the table can store the picture directly. Preferably, the information in the staff tables is associated with particular suites using the 1) office, 2) floor and 3) section numbers, and not through the suite table itself. These three variables create a primary key. Each virtual building suite has a unique combination of these three variables.

This table also stores "question options." When setting up a virtual office, a physician is provided with a selection of optional questions which can be asked within their office. For example, they may want their patients to fax them. In which case, the physician would select, "yes" to the question option "Would you like to send a fax?" A physician selects a given question option using Boolean operators. "Yes" turns the question option on, while "No" turns the question option off. There also can be "standard questions" that are always posed to visitors. One example would be, "Would you like the physical office address of the doctor?" 6. Question Table

Questions allow for efficient navigation through the virtual building. They are preferably hierarchical so that the response to a first question (e.g., clicking on its link) prompts a second list of questions. The question description table, includes a number of descriptive elements such as (1) the text of the question, (2) the question's identifier, (3) the identity of the question's 'parent question' (i.e. which question led to this one), (4) the HTML template to be used when this question is called, (5) the office number to relocate to should this question be called (this property is not always used), and (6) descriptive text, which is used in the template to describe more thoroughly the question that was just asked and the options available to the user.

The presentation of Web pages or virtual offices is query driven, using the relational database 150 and a software engine 140 to process responses and render the requested information. The response to a given question is provided to the client-side station 1 10 in the form of a new Web page 1 12. The response defines the questions which will be presented to the user in that Web page 1 12. The response then defines the appropriate staff member to invoke, and, depending on the question posed, determines the appropriate suite display. In the preferred embodiment, the first page displayed to the user or visitor consists of a single image that is actually a 'Submit' button for an HTML form 136. Within this form are hidden variables (Input type="hidden") that identify the template, suite, and question numbers to be referenced in the subsequent page. Initially, all three variables are set to "1 " so that the user begins in the 'Lobby' of the tower, and is presented with a set of questions. This page is referred to as the first user page ("FUP").

With reference now to Fig. 2, the FUP is displayed at step 202 in the active window of a Web browser or other compliant interface connected to the distributed computer network 120. The FUP preferably implements three database queries in response to the user submitting the HTML form 136 at step 204. Upon either pressing a submit button or selecting a hypertext link or anchored image or image map element, the template, suite number and question ID are submitted to the server 130 as indicated in step 206. The queries used to process the submitted data are discussed below. 1. Question ID query: The first query takes the question ID submitted at step

206 and retrieves information including a recapitulated version of the question and any descriptive elements that are desired (e.g., to explain the choices in a next set of questions). Also retrieved are the suite number that the user is to be sent to, if appropriate.

Thus, the first query within the specific template file 132 passes the question ID to the software engine 140 which examines the relational database 150 to match the question ID to a corresponding question ID within the question table. The question ID is the primary key for the question table. Having done that, the relational database 150 responds with a suite number identifier, if one exists. All of this occurs at step 208.

In the special case where the user has just entered the tower, there would have been no prior questions posed to the user (i.e., question text = null). In this case, a predetermined question ID number would be passed as a hidden variable to the software engine 140 for handling by the relational database 150, as described above. Thus, for example, upon clicking on a logo presented on the main page, the template page, question ID, and suite number can all be passed as hidden variable to the server 130 for processing by the software engine 140. Thus, the response might dictate that the user be brought into a virtual corridor or foyer within the lobby of the building.

2. Parent ID Query: The second query searches at step 210 all records in the table for questions that have a parent ID equal to that of the question ID submitted at step 206. For each match, the second query retrieves into memory at the server 130 the template name and question ID and question text 114 at step 212. In the case of the FUP, there can be a number of questions having a parent ID = 1 and these questions are retrieved along with the HTML template to be used should the question be 'chosen.'

A logical routine, which can be implemented using IF-ELSE statements, operates to specify the suite number (that is, the floor number, office number and section number) that points to a particular virtual office at step 214. The logical routine is processed by the software engine 140 and generates the parameters that are queried to the relational database 150 at step 216 in query 3. If the suite number is known from step 208 (query 1), then it is parsed by the software engine 140 and the floor number, section number and office number parameters are submitted to the final query, described below.

Else, if a suite number was not identified at step 208, the logical routine searches for the suite number parameters, namely, the floor number, office number and section number within the HTML form 136 or hyperlink that was used to submit the form at step 204. In particular, if a form was submitted, then hidden values passed from the form are examined. If a hyperlink was used, then concatenated values are examined. The suite number parameters that are obtained are for the room that the user was in when the data was submitted at step 204 and the child questions that were retrieved in response to query 2 will be displayed at the same location as the prior question.

And, if the logical routine detects that a suite number was specified in the suite box 118 and that such information was submitted at step 204, then that number is parsed into its suite number parameters.

3. Suite Number Query: This query sends the suite number parameters to the relational database 150 and matches them against the entries suite table. Only one location has a particular combination of the three suite number parameters. This combination of values in the suite table is then referenced against the floor and section tables to ensure that such a room exists. Pertinent descriptive information (name, address, question options, picture, etc.) is taken from the suite table for the referenced suite number, at step 216.

Also, the suite number parameters ("SNP") are matched against the staff table. The staff ID for any staff that match the combination of the SNP are taken from the staff table at step 218.

Multiple staff can be defined for any one office; however, only one staff member may be shown in any one page. In order to ensure that the appropriate staff member is chosen at step 220, the software engine 140 queries the staff type table in the relational database 150 using the staff ID and obtains in response the staff ID for the specified SNP and the specified template from step 206.

At step 222, the information provided by the relational database 150 from the queries of steps 208, 210 and 216-220 is processed by the software engine 140 and populated into the HTML form 136 at step 224. The populated form is then sent over the Internet, for example, to the user at step 226.

With reference to Fig. 3, at step 226, preferably, an HTML page 300 is sent which includes:

1. A locator section 310, which lists the floor, office and section numbers as well as the suite name which the user is currently in (taken from the suite table)

2. An introduction 320 by the staff member, including name (e.g., Karen) and type (e.g., nurse) description (taken from the staff and staff type tables).

3. A staff member picture 330 (taken from the staff table)

4. Text description of the tower area the user is in 340 (taken from the suite table)

5. Recapitulation of the question just asked 350 (e.g. "You wanted me to help you find a doctor.") (taken from the questions table)

6. Description related to the question just asked 360 (e.g. "Medtower houses doctors in 30 specialties on Floors X through Z"). (taken from the questions table)

7. List of questions that follow the question just asked 370. These questions are listed in the form of hypertext links 390 or submit buttons 380. (taken from the questions table)

The questions are selectable by the user, and preferably are presented as submit buttons 380, hypertext links 390, or some other selectable element as understood by those of skill in the art. Upon selecting a question, an HTTP request is made to the server 130 which includes data automatically provided by the HTML page 300 submitted in step 204. In the case of a submit button 380, the request includes hidden input elements which list the current floor, office, and section numbers, as well as the question ID. The action for this form is the template name that was stored at step 212. The HTML value of the submit button is set to the question text 114 and the data stored at step 212. In the case of a hyperlink 390, the template name the floor, office, and section numbers and the question ID are concatenated onto the referenced file.

With respect to particular rooms or offices specified by a template, the following optional processes and elements can be included: a picture of the physician taken from the suite table, can be inserted into the page; custom services can be included in accordance with the physician's preferences (e.g. e-mail, fax, patient questionnaire submission) by setting the parameters in the relational database 150 accordingly, as understood by one of skill in the art.

In summary, the questions lead a user through the tower. Information is provided to the user using the descriptive text included with each question. Anytime a user chooses a question, a textual description explains a process, answers the question, or helps the user choose the next question that will get them where they're going.

The position locator 310 gives the user a reference point. If user knows their destination, the user can enter the suite number directly into the suite box 118. The user will be taken directly to this suite number. This eliminates a number of question-answer cycles. It also provides the 'feel' of actually being in a building.

The staff members also add to the 'feel' of the tower. As opposed to being on a static page with no help, the staff members guide you to your destination.

Navigation can be voice-driven instead of text-based forms and links. With reference to Fig. 4 through 7, various screen prints of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are shown.

Specifically, Figs. 4 and 5 depict alternative Web page approaches in accordance with the preferred embodiment. The first home page approach demonstrated in Fig. 4 presents the user with three alternative text box choices. The question query text box 404 and the personal name text box 402 represent prior art search techniques. Upon entering a particular physician's name in the personal name text box 402, the server 130 returns a particular physician's HTML page 300. Similarly, if the user poses a question in the question query text box 404, the server 130 returns an answer HTML page 300. However, the suite box 1 18 demonstrated in the preferred embodiment of the present invention is not known in the prior art. Upon entering a suite number in the suite box 1 18, a user travels in the virtual office community to that suite. In Fig. 4, the user knew the suite number, so the user entered the number 3-A1 10. Upon entering the suite number, the user travels to suite 3-A1 10 as seen in Fig. 6.

Fig. 5 demonstrates an alternative Web page approach to the Fig. 4 embodiment. Here, the user is directed to the lobby of the virtual office community where a general secretary greats the visitor. Here, a picture of the Internet secretary is shown in the staff picture box 116. The general secretary then introduces 320 herself as "Susan, the Internet Secretary." Note that the position locator 310 orientates the user within the virtual building. The position locator 310 displays the floor number, suite number, office, and section name information in the upper left hand corner ensuring that the user remains orientated at all times. Here, the user is at the front desk of the virtual building's lobby. The suite number is 1-AlOO. In addition to the position locator, the staff member recapitulates the user's location 340. Here, the

Internet secretary reminds the user that they are at the Front Desk. To help the visitor find the information that they are seeking, the Internet secretary then asks a list of questions 370 in an effort to track down the information the visitor might be seeking. In addition, the Internet secretary directs the visitor to a list of potentially other relevant Internet Offices 500 within the virtual community. As is always an option, the user can travel directly to a new suite using the suite box 118.

Fig. 6 is an exemplary virtual office accessed from a Web page such as shown in Fig. 4 or Fig. 5. Note that the position locator 310 orientates the visitor in the virtual community. Here the visitor is in suite 3-A100. This is the virtual office that the visitor in Fig. 4 would automatically go to because the user typed 3-A100 in the suite box 1 18. Besides suite number, the position locator 310 also tells the visitor that they are at Phil's office which is in the Administration section on the Medtower Offices floor. Here, the visitor is introduced to Phil's Internet Secretary. Beth 320. In addition, Beth orientates the visitor, reminding them that they are at Phil's Internet office 340. Should the visitor like to visit a new suite, the suite box 118 presents the visitor the opportunity. As in Fig. 5, here the staff member once again asks the visitor a the list of questions 370 in an effort to pinpoint an answer to the visitor's question. Here, Beth asks the following questions 370:

May I help you go to the Front Desk of Phil? May I help you learn more about Phil? May I help you learn about the Education of Phil? May I help you find Office Hours for Phil? May I help you find Contact Information for Phil?

May I help you find Directions for the Physical Office of Phil? May I help you send a message to Phil?

Fig. 7 is a further Web page within the virtual office. Here, Phil, the staff member introduces himself as the Chief Information Officer 320. In this case, the visitor was directed to this Web page by asking a question. First, the question is recapitulated 350. In this case, the visitor asked "learn more about Phil?" in Fig. 6. As a result, in the recapitulation section 350 Phil states "You asked to learn more about me." After the recapitulation, there is a description which answers the posed question 360. In this case, the description 360 comprises Phil's curriculum vitae.

This further Web page as in the prior examples also allows the visitor to hop suites by providing a suite box 1 18. In addition, further questions are listed 370 on this Web page should the description presented 360 prove to be an inadequate answer to the visitor's question. Fig. 8 illustrates an exemplary business card that can be provided to a professional for distribution to clients, etc. in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The business card 800 preferably includes a variety of conventional data including the professional's name and the address of his or her physical office. In addition, the business card 800 includes a virtual office address 802 which can be uniquely accessed through a predetermined server. A specific virtual office can be addressed by inputting to a machine connected to a distributed network such as the

Internet the URL address, which accesses a hosting server, and then entering the virtual office address 802, e.g., into a field of a form. Alternatively, a machine readable code 806 such as a bar code or magnetic ink is provided on the business card which cooperates with software resident on a client machine to directly access the professional's virtual office free of any intervening web pages by scanning the code with a suitable reader, such as the :CueCat Reader available from Digital Convergence Corporation of Dallas, Texas (www.crq.com), together with CRQ software from the same supplier which processes bar codes. In Fig. 8, the URL is "www.lawtower.com" and the virtual office address 802 is "30-52." Of course, virtual office suite numbers can be distributed and/or advertised in equivalent other ways.

Thus, access to a specific virtual office can be had by a plurality of persons that interact with the person ("John Doe") identified on the business card 800 by distributing a business card such as the business card 800. The business card includes a URL address 804 which resolves into a first Web page hosted by a predetermined

Web server, and a virtual office address 802 which accesses a second Web page hosted by the Web server. A recipient of the business card 800 inputs the URL address and the virtual office address indicated on the card at a client machine connectable to the Internet, for example, at a desktop computer or a portable, Internet- compliant device. The URL address and the virtual office address are resolved into a unique Web page maintained at the predetermined server, and that unique Web page is then displayed at the client machine. The URL address and the virtual office address can be received in sequence, for example, by typing in this information, or simultaneously, y using a coded form of this information, such as the code 806. While the present invention has been described with respect to a particularly preferred embodiment, the invention is susceptible to implementation in other ways that are within the spirit of the invention which is defined in terms of the recitations of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

We Claim: L A building metaphor represented as data and located on a distributed computer network, comprising: a template defining an arrangement of elements to be included in a virtual office and how those elements are queried in a database; a database containing information relating to a plurality of specific virtual offices; and, a software engine which responds to virtual office address data submitted by a station connected to a distributed computer network by accessing the database and populating the template with information relating to one of a plurality of specific virtual offices, whereby a plurality of virtual offices in the building metaphor are definable by processing a respective virtual office address.

2. The building metaphor as in claim 1, wherein the virtual office address data includes a template name.

3. The building metaphor as in claim 2, wherein the virtual office address data includes a suite number.

4. The building metaphor as in claim 3, wherein the virtual office address data includes a question ID.

5. The building metaphor as in claim 1, wherein the populated template is conveyed to the station through the distributed computer network with the populated template and the information from the database rendered together.

6. The building metaphor as in claim 5, wherein the populated template is a file.

7. The building metaphor as in claim 6, wherein the file is in an HTML compatible format.

8. The method of creating a building metaphor, comprising the steps of: accepting from a station across a distributed computer network virtual office address data; processing the virtual office address data submitted by the station to determine a respective virtual office address; and, transmitting a populated template to the station across the distributed computer network.

9. The method of creating a building metaphor as in claim 8, wherein the processing step further including the steps of: translating the virtual office address data into a form suitable for a database; and, populating an HTML form with the respective virtual office address retrieved from the database.

10. A software construct for a metaphor display on a monitor connected to a computing machine, comprising: a locator section displaying a position of a user within a virtual office community.

11. A software construct for a metaphor display on a monitor connected to a computing machine as in claim 10 wherein the locator section comprises a suite number within the virtual office community.

12. A software construct for a metaphor display on a monitor connected to a computing machine as in claim 1 1 wherein the locator section comprises a floor number within the virtual office community.

13. A software construct for a metaphor display on a monitor connected to a computing machine as in claim 10, further comprising: an introduction section wherein the user is introduced to a staff member.

14. A software construct for a metaphor display on a monitor connected to a computing machine as in claim 13, further comprising: a list of follow-up questions.

15. A software construct for a metaphor display on a monitor connected to a computing machine as in claim 14, further comprising: a staff picture section wherein a picture of the staff member introduced in the introduction section is presented.

16. A software construct for a metaphor display on a monitor connected to a computing machine as in claim 15, wherein the list of follow-up questions includes a series of hypertext links.

17. A software construct for a metaphor display on a monitor connected to a computing machine as in claim 15, wherein the list of follow-up questions includes a series of submit buttons.

18. A software construct for a metaphor display on a monitor connected to a computing machine, as in claim 17, wherein the list of follow-up questions further includes a series of hypertext links.

19. A method for providing access to a specific virtual office, comprising the steps of: distributing a business card upon which is a URL address which resolves into a first Web page hosted by a Web server and, a virtual office address which accesses a second Web page hosted by the Web server; receiving the URL address of a server connected to the Internet and the virtual office address at a client machine connectable to the Internet; resolving the URL address and the virtual office address into a unique Web page maintained at the server; and displaying the unique Web page at the client machine.

20. The method as in claim 19 wherein the URL address and the virtual office address are received in sequence.