GB2415520A

GB2415520A - Hierarchical 3D data system

Info

Publication number: GB2415520A
Application number: GB0414252A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Salman Ahmad
Original assignee: MYRIAD VISION Ltd
Current assignee: MYRIAD VISION Ltd
Priority date: 2004-06-25
Filing date: 2004-06-25
Publication date: 2005-12-28
Also published as: GB0414252D0

Abstract

A computer system for extracting and linking information from a 3D database of three dimensional geometry data and a content store, containing data objects, such as an enterprise database or corporate intranet, the system comprising: hierarchy building means for reading the three dimensional geometry data and constructing a hierarchy of 3D nodes of this data, means for building ontological links between the 3D nodes and related data objects from/in the content store, and means for storing the data hierarchy with built ontological links.

Description

241 5520 lo.

3D Data System This invention relates to a computer system in particular to information navigation retrieval systems, that allow querying and exploration of knowledge related to a 3D visualization.

It is known for manufacturing and engineering firms to have a data store holding 3D CAD/CAM files which are viewable as video animations or via authoring tools such as Unigraphics, Autocad etc.. If the company wishes to view any document related to the product or item being viewed they do so through suitable CRM softvvare on a separate application thread, or possibly on a separate presentation layer. It is necessary to view and navigate these independently of each other and there is no linking between the data to aid navigation. Further, authoring or editing data in one would not cause a corresponding change in the other. Additionally, documents viewed by the CRM software are not done in a 3D context which is found to be a particularly beneficial method of visualising and navigating data, especially when used by engineers.

It is also known to use 3D interfaces to databases where data is visualised on virtual processes or 3D environments using a desktop virtual reality set up. Beneficially it is found that visualization systems, including 2D and particularly 3D, provide insights into data or show patterns explaining the situation which otherwise would be difficult if not impossible to individualize from raw data. However, this does not relate to 3D CAD files or the linking with other data and the method on which they are viewable.

It is an object of the invention to provide improvements on these systems, in particular to allow users such as engineers to navigate and view 3D geometrical data-.whilsi: viewing and visualising corresponding technical data.

According to the first aspect of the invention there is provided a computer system for extracting and linking information from a 3D database of three dimensional geometry data and a content store, containing data objects, such as an enterprise database or

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corporate inkanet, the system comprising: hierarchy building means for reading the three dimensional geometry data and constructing a hierarchy of 3D nodes of this data, means for building ontological links between the 3D nodes and related data objects from/in the content store, and means for storing the data hierarchy with built ontological links.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative diagrams, in which: Figure 1 is a view of a system for exkacting data from a enterprise database or databases and being used by a user or author; Figure 2 is a view of a Bee data structure with a hierarchy of technical data; Figure 3 is a flow diagram of the data collection and linking process carried out by the system of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view of a monitor screen depicting the author interface to be used with the system depicted in Figure 1 in the authoring mode; Figure 5 is a view of a monitor screen depicting the viewer/user interface to be used with the system depicted in Figure 1 in the viewing mode; Figure 6 is a flow diagram of the flow of processing data in an authoring environment of the system of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a view of the system architecture of the invention; and Figure 8 is a diagram of the flow of processing data in a viewer environment of the system of Figure 1. f if 3

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a system 10 with an enterprise database ED and a user/author computer work station U/A. The enterprise database may be in the form of a simple database or alternatively can represent a corporate intranet or similar.

The system 10 comprises a data acquisition layer 12, a data management layer 14, a data presentation layer 16 and a knowledge database 17.

The data acquisition layer (DAL) 12 receives data from the enterprise database ED, and uses a schema analyser and dynamic query builder to analyse and process the received data.

The data management layer (DML) 14 comprises a 3D data analyser 18, a natural language processor 20, a database and Internet contents analyser 22, a semantic mapping and truth maintenance system (TMS) 24 and a data link packager 26. The data management layer 14 sends requests for data to the data acquisition layer 12 (which in turn takes acquired data from the enterprise database ED) and receives analysed sorted data from the data acquisition layer 12 via link 28. The data link packager 26 sends 3D data with information relationships via link 30 to knowledge database 17.

The data presentation layer (DPL) 16 comprises 3D geometry and enterprise data and content realisation graphs and sends such graphs and viewable data to the user PC U/A via link 34. It also receives author input/adjustments via link 36. Together links 34 and 36 constitute part of an interface via which the user/author both views and interacts with data. The data presentation layer 16 receives relevant processed data from the data management layer 14 via link 32 and also sends data back dependent on received author input from link 36.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown an example of a 3D hierarchy of technical data.

This example of 3D hierarchy is in the form of a tree data structure/scene graph 38.

This particular structure relates to a left wing for the Airbus 320 (LW320AB). The tree data structure 38 provides a series of 3D nodes including a route node 40 representing the left wing LW320AB. One layer below node 40 are nodes 42 a, b and c, 44, 45 a and f- b, which relate to flaps LW320FL, slat LW320ST, ailerons LW320AR, spoilers LW320SP and animations LW320AB respectively. Nodes 42 a, b and c are so-called parent nodes since they have another level of nodes connected beneath them, whereas nodes 44 and 45 are so-called leaf nodes and constitute the end of their particular route.

Connected to node 42c are three child nodes 47a, 47b and 47c representing the shapes of a box, cylinder and spline respectively which together form the aileron. There are equivalent child nodes coming from the slat node 42b and flat node 42a. In this instance the flat node 42a has a child node which itself has two further child nodes relating to shapes. In this example, simple primitive geometry nodes are denoted by circles such as 47a, 47b, 47c, 44 etc. which denote simply the shape of the product.

In Figure 3 is shown the system 10 in an authoring mode in which a process of data collection and linking is conducted by the DAL 12 and DML 14. The task of searching and correlating is performed by code routines known as smart agent that tunnel through database objects and Internet data repositories to find information related to each 3D node that detects the data under investigation. Links are then created between the data objects and to the 3D nodes to form an ontology.

In Figure 3 is shown the enterprise database ED an ontology repository 50, the 3D analyser 18, the database and Internet content analyser 22 and the data link packager 26, knowledge database 17, a 3D data repository 19 and steps S40 and S42 of data retrieval and indexing and contents sorting and semantic linking respectively.

At step S40 the system 10 begins sifting through information in the enterprise database ED and ontology repository 50. The operation is initiated with the traversal of data stores to located all 3D file types including 3D CAD/CAM within a specified environment. The DML 14 indexes and maintains a queue of all the 3D files found and the 3D data analyser analyses each file building a tree structure of the parent and child nodes data such as 3D geometry, animation, materials, textures, lights etc. and building a tree structure such as seen in Figure 2.

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After the 3D file has been read the DML 14 initiates the information extract and link operation by traversing the 3D tree bottom up. The DML 14 filters through nodes which have a name, group name or description that does not match common primitive geometry terminology (e.g., box, sphere, cylinder etc.) as criteria for querying the enterprise database ED.

Once a relevant 3D node has been found and indexed, the information extraction procedure of non-3D data objects will then commence at step S40. This extraction procedure by the DAL 12 finds data relating to the node in question. The DAL 12 firstly use resource description format (RDF) querying of the ontology repository 50.

An up to date ontology is the best resource to locate information sources within a corporate Internet because of the entity of relationship information and the linked data it provides. However the ontology repository 50 may be insufficient, particularly before the system has been used a significant number of times.

After the RDF query has been completed, or immediately if no ontology repository 50 exists the DAL 12 then starts querying RDMS resources using SOAP and WSDL protocols- as- defined by the business logic layer of the company or business. In the absence of such protocol implementation system 10 uses schema analysis of the RDMS structural data. This analytical process identifies catalogue in the enterprise database ED and for each catalogue it further identifies tables and fields which match the category of product of topic under investigation.

The RDF and RDMS querying is prompted by the indexing and queue maintenance of the 3D data in the enterprise database ED conducted by the 3D data analyser 18.

Such queries are prompted by the results of the ED and Internet data analyser 22 prompts queries of the remainder of the ED. At Step S40 the extraction procedure then uses full text search of documents and files. It finds documents and other content files and on network disks it has communications with, using this full text searching and indexes the documents and contents such as audio, video graphic and image files on network disks that may be related to the search criteria and hence 3D node. r

As an example the 3D data analyser 18 could run through the 3D hierarchy in Figure 2.

In this example it is taken that the enterprise database holds 3D CAD/CAM files which are viewable as video animations or via the authoring tool such as Unigraphics, Autocad or as VRML or may be even by DXF, DWG viewer apples or application. The system 10 can be implemented on the company's applications server for dynamic authoring of content packages that are accessible by employers and engineers via the web base viewer or mobile viewer. The authoring process will often require permission rights to access data stores identified on the network. Once configured they could be allowed to extract information available across the company's network data stores and build a knowledge base as well as 3D content packages which include the 3D geometry animations materials data and smart tags so there can be 3D nodes to the knowledge base.

The 3D analyser 18 runs through 3D hierarchy 38 from the bottom up using right, middle, left traversal ignoring primitive geometry nodes denoted by circles and processes the next valid node up. In this case, the first significant node is the aileron LW320AR child node 42c.

Once found the DML 14 will request data from the DAL 12 with search criteria, product ID matching LW320AR and/or product item by description left wing aileron for the Airbus 320. At step S40 the DAL 12 will interrogate the ontology repository 50 using RDF and the enterprise database ED using SOAP, RDMS and text based querying. These results are then returned to the DML for processing and indexing.

In addition to exploring the ontology repository 50 and enterprise database ED, the DML 14 also request further sources that may be available on the network such as relation database management systems. The DAL 12 can also check for material on the Internet available that could be used to query data sources for information. The DAL 12 also performs high level schema analysis of database objects and the tables and fields within those data objects. In this way DAL 12 is able to build up a complete map ( 7 of all data objects available on the data servers allowing the DML 14 to index every data source and content within those data stores.

The DAL 12 searches for content at the file system object level as a text search of documents and files names description or header search of nontext based files. All files that match the search criteria are then returned to the DML 14 in XML format and sent as an XML stream. The DAL 12 is only handles text search like an advanced search engine utilising logical rules and lexicon sets to increase efficiency of the search.

The search results could include record set data with reference to data source, catalogue, entity. column, file name and references to path name, file type, file header.

In the example of data structure 38 the DAL 12 will target data sources and catalogues to find information mapping search criteria. The query builder designs auto queries to analyse data held in the catalogues and based on its analysis of data it will return the following XML: <?xml versior="1.Q" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <DAL text="Search Result Data"> <Data Objects> <DataSource id="DSO" src="//DataServer/DataStore"> <Catalogue id="CatO" name="Airbus Data"> <Entity id="EntityO" name="Products"> <Columnid="ColumnO"name="ProductlD">LW320AB</Column> <Columnid="Column1 "name="Name">LeftWing</Column> <Columnid="Column2"name="MnfCode">MS4434</Column> </Entity> <Entity id="Entity1" name="Parts"> <Columnid="ColumnO"name="Partl D">LW320AB</Column> <Columnid="ColumnO"name="ProductlD">LW320AR</Column> <Column id="Column1" name="Name">Left Wing Ailerons</Column> <Column id="Colum n2" name="MnfCode">MT4554</Column> </Entity> </Catalogue> </DataSource> </Data Objects> <Files> <FileSource id="FileO"> <FileName>LW320AR technical spec.doc </FileName> <FilePath>//data_store/AB320/LW320AB/Techincal Data </FilePath> <FileType>Word Document</FileType> <File Header>Microsoft Office Word Document: MSWordDoc:Word. Document. 8</File Header> <FileSource> <FileSource id="File1"> <FileName LW320AR Technical Diagram.png</FileName> <FilePath>//data_store/AB320/LW320AB/Techincal Diagram </FilePath> <FileType>PNG File</FileType> <File Header> PNG:Creation Time 03/30/04 </File Header> </FileSource> </Files> </DAL> The information retrieved is processed at Step S42 by semantic linking and truth maintenance systems TMS. The natural language processor/parser 20 is a natural language interpreter which performs interpretation of the syntactic and lexical level and interpretation of the results to create a rated list of belief values for the semantic mapping operation by mapper 24 Semantic mapping is a one to many operation utilising logic rules and truth maintenance systems to interpret data at the semantic level and ensure that the information source now matches the target with a high degree of certainty. The mapper 24 uses a truth maintenance system TMS which is a system of fuzzy logic that can be used with non-monotonic reasoning and problem solving. This is necessary where knowledge of a problem is incompatible and therefore assumptions must be made to enable solutions to be found when the situation is changing or when temporary assumptions are used to test the possible solution. This uses the belief values assigned by the natural language processor 20, which unlike truth values, are subject to alteration and revision in the light of new evidence.

Another technique which can be used by the system 10 is the interrogation of semantic store in the ontology repository 50. This allows traversal of existing ontology to build reference links between information sources and 3D data. In the example of data structure 38 the DAL 12 is able to pick up the detailed hierarchy of the product in the form of Entity- toRelationship-to-Entity the data structure. In the example of data hierarchy 3 8 the entity relationship data returned is of the form of: AirBus Model AB320 AirBus Model AB338 AB320 has part LW320AB Left Wing AB320 has part RW320AB Right Wing LW320AB has part LW320AR Ailerons LW320AB has part LW320FL Flap etc..

LW320AB specification listed in LW320AB technical spec.doc LW320AB technical diagram in LW320AB Technical Diagram.png LW320AB technical spec. doc stored lidata store/AB320/LW320AB/Techincal Data/ If the ontology is well maintained in ontology repository 50 then most of the essential data could become available in this way. Where there is not sufficient semantic information system 10 can use the data linking as outlined above. Once the linking is done using these methods the DML 14 will have created a new ontology. Such ontology is built at Step S44 by the ontology builder 46 between non-3D data objects and with the 3D nodes. Such newly created ontologies are then sent back to the ontology repository 50 updating it so that in future use RDF querying and semantic interrogation can be used to obtain more of the information.

The system then proceeds to filter through the data hierarchy looking for the next relevant node. The information extract and link operations of Steps S40 and S42 being recursively executed until the route node is reached and a complete knowledge base built for the 3D file in the processing queue. The DML 14 then seeks the next 3D file in the queue and the process is repeated until there are no more files to process.

Preferably all of Steps S40 and S42 are completely automated. However, the sequence can be paused by an author A allowing links and ontology to be modified.

Alternatively, the author A could review and modify the relationship assigned after the extraction process is complete.

At step S42 the packager 26 exports 3D data with link tags imbedded in the exported 3D files linking to associated data.

Once step S40 and S42 are complete for all files and the ontology builder 46 has updated ontology repository 50, the 3D geometry and link data source 26 sends its complete 3D data containing link IDs imbedded in the data structure and the link data to knowledge base 17 and the 3D repository 19. In the knowledge base 17 is stored the detail including the ontology, data paths, file paths and relations. In the 3D repository 19 is stored the completed 3D data node structure with the imbedded links linking each node to the-associated- information stored-in the knowledge base 17.

An advantage of separating the linked data between into the two databases 17 and 19 is that the detailed information and ontology stored in knowledge base 17 can be updated or amended without having to change the 3D data repository 19. This will occur because the links will still be associated with the data that is relevant in database 17 even when that data has been amended since their location/identifiers will remain the same.

The combination of the imbedded link tags as an extra property of the 3d geometry and the associated knowledge base transform the 3D files into a unique data structure that can be represented in 3D as well as display other forms of information viewable in a single visualisation environment.

The knowledge base 17 is a relational database that is organized into tables/entities linked by key fields. The database 17 holds information about the products linked to 3D views for visualisation interaction.

An example of a user interface for authoring the information is depicted in Figure 4 as authoring interface screen 180.

Interface 180 shows three main windows, an information viewer 182, a preview window 184 and a query builder viewer 186.

In the information viewer 182 an author is able to view all the information sources as depicted by Wee 188, specific node information depicted by diagram 190 and an access permission table 192.

The tree 188 depicts the complete tree data structure with colour coded links between the 3D nodes 194 and information sources. Diagram 190 shows detailed information form the knowledge base 17 with the relations between information sources and their links-to- 3-D nodes-in-the- tree- 1 -82.- In Figure 4 information sources of different types are shown such as video 196, audio 179 and database object entity 200. Using diagram 190 the author may edit the order of the links.

In an alternative view the author may view a specific 3D node and all the information sources of a particular type that were found to be relevant during data retrieval at step S40 but were not necessarily linked at step S42. The human author may then create links between relevant but not automatically linked information sources and the specific 3D node 194.

Access permission table 192 depict user access rights and which users are permitted to access which set levels of data. Links between this table 192 and the tree 188 can be viewed which show information sources and 3D data can be accessed by whom. The author can edit these links altering which users are permitted to view which data.

Preview window 184 allows the author in real time to see the viewers accessible by the viewer via the via interface described below with reference to Figure 5. If the author is unhappy with an aspect of the view in the preview window the author is able to make edits and view their effects on the viewer interface.

The query builder viewer 184 allows the author to modify queries generated by query builder in the DAL 12. Using the query viewer 184 the author is able to approve information that has been correlated by system 10 and to ensure access rights are implemented so that sensitive data is not released to unauthorised personnel.

After authoring the knowledge base 17 and 3D repository 19 form the basis of information to be viewed by user U using desktop Internet or mobile device. An example of a user interface for viewing this information is depicted in Figure 5 as interface screen 92.

Interface 92 shows three main sections, a knowledge display 96, an information display 94 and a rich content display 98. All of these sections are governed by the data presentation-layer 16.

The rich content display component 98 displays a product or object in three dimensional views with complete control to pan, zoom, rotate and inspect in a similar manner to some known CAD viewer systems. The views are generated from the 3D geometry data stored in the 3D repository 19.

The knowledge display 96 allows a user U to dig deeper into the data in the knowledge database 17 of a selected product/topic such as by using conventional search and query tools.

The information window 94 displays such detailed information of the product/topic under investigation as may have been asked for by the user via queries in the knowledge base display 96. (

The three viewer components 96, 98 and 94 are linked and uses the imbedded links between data objects and 3D nodes in the databases 17 and 19. Consequently, a user U is able to view 3D geometry and retrieve further more technical information related to that geometry simultaneously. Manipulation and zooming of an object in the rich content display 98 can result in corresponding changes to the information viewed in the knowledge display 96 and information display 94. Querying and requesting data in the knowledge display 96 can result not just in consequential display of the requested data in the information display 94 but also the display of linked 3D geometry data in the rich content display 98 such as by manipulation of the objector change of the object viewed.

The relations between the detailed data in the knowledge base 17 are not shown in any of the viewer components windows 96, 98 and 94.

In Figure 6 is shown the flow of processing data in the authoring environment. In the authoring environment system 10 analyses information within the enterprise database ED and other data stores to seek out technical data files and related information sources. These are then indexed. Additionally, in the authoring environment an Author A can modify the linking process.

At step S 146 the user takes an action such as making a request for change in the linking procedure via interface 92 to the data presentation layer 16. This request is then relayed to the data management layer 14. If this input simply requires a change in the data then this updated data can be changed in the ontology repository 50 or in the knowledge database 17 and the 3D data library 19.

As part of the mining process at step S 152 smart agents explore the data stores. This is done by the data acquisition layer 12 at step S154 which fetches relevant data from the enterprise database ED and ontology repository 50 and once found sends this data back to the data management layer 14 at step S156. This produces new 3D data and this is exported to the 3D library 19 or knowledge database 17 as well as sending this processed data to the data presentation layer 16 at step S 158.

The information then sent to the interface 92 for viewing for the author A by the data presentation layer 16 will depend upon the nature of the inquiry. If 3D data or graphs have been processed then a 3D hierarchical data tree 168 is produced at step S162 and viewable by the author A in knowledge display 96. Similarly, if it is multi media content data a content data tree with links to the relevant 3D nodes is viewed in the knowledge display 96. formation, documents or images produced by either information tree with links to 3D nodes and XML data, database query and record sets will be sent out as a content tree with links to 3D, tree with links to the 3D nodes or EDO data tree with links to 3D.

In Figure 7 is shown the viewer environment architecture of system 10. As can be seen, system 10 operates in a server 80 with the user U or author A using a client computer 82. Within the server 80 is the DAL 12, the DML 14 and the DPL 16 along with application session management 120 and the progress tracker 122.

On the client computer 82 are components of the interface 92 with the rich content viewer 93, knowledge data query viewer 96, information viewer 98 and preferably a client action listener and environment manager 99.

In communication with the server 80 are the enterprise database ED and in particular the ontology repository 50, the knowledge database 17 and the 3D data component library 19.

In the viewing mode the DAL 12 and DML 14 have two way communication and the DAL can draw information from the knowledge database 17 and 3D data component library 19. The DML 14 processes data, messages and parameters sensing different layers of the client components. The DML 14 requests data from DAL 12, processes the data returned using the fuzzy logic TMS algorithm In this viewing mode the data presentation layer 16 simply takes information from DML 14 and sends it to information viewer 98, the knowledge viewer 96 and the rich l f content viewer 94. The knowledge data viewer 96 and the rich content viewer 94 in communication are also the DML 14 to allow a user U to burrow down to more detailed information that is provided by the DML 14 via DPL 16 to the viewers 94 and 96. The viewers 94, 96 may independently communicate with the DML 14 or preferable they do so centrally via a client action environment manager 99 which includes means for processing facilitating communications between the system 10 and the interface 92.

Also, in the server 80 is application session manager 120 and the progress tracker 122 which track what information is being used by the user U and stores it in a data repository of application user data 51 within the knowledge database 17. This allows a profile to be built up of the user U. The information in the data repository of application user data 51 can then be accessed by the DML when that particular user next uses system 10 allowing more relevant information to be stored. The fuzzy logic routine allows the system 10 to construct requests for data on the basis of user profile stored in user data database 51 of the knowledge database 17 and on the topic under investigation so as to allow pre- emptive data catching of the information most relevant to that particular user. The information retrieved is then passed on to DPL processor display The DPL 16 isresponsible for updating the state of the user's view by delivering new data to the client device 82. DPL 16 sends data to the 3D rendering engine which updates the view by creating a time animation, modifying geometry or changing render states. Preferably the 3D visualization component on the client device 82 handles all the 3D calculation rending. The DPL 16 can handle the page redraw operations, video, audio, text, image and html data and sends the page data to client applications 82, i.e. desktop, web and mobile.

In Figure 8 is shown a flow diagram of the process of data in this viewer environment by a user U by using interface 92 is shown. At step S108 the user U takes an action such as making a query by 3D interaction in the rich content window 98, or in natural language or selection from the knowledge base data list in the knowledge display 96.

Such a query will then trigger the data management layer 14 to take action at step S 110 and request extraction of data.

At Step S112 the system will then determine whether such data request is allowed. If it is allowed it will proceed to Step S114, if not it will skip straight to Step S12 and confirms to the user U via the DPL 16 that the request was denied..

At Step Sl14 the data acquisition layer 12 is instructed to fetch data relevant to the query from the knowledge base 17, the 3D data library 19 and the user profile database 51 as appropriate. Once the data is found a Step S116, it is then sent back to the data management layer 14 in XML format.

At Step S 118 this extracted data is then processed by the data management layer 14 and relevant processed data sent back to the data presentation layer 120 to be accessed by the user U. The action then taken will depend on the nature of the query and the information found.

An XML data search data base query will update the database in the knowledge base window 96 at Step S122. The requested information, documents or images will be displayed in the information window 96 Step S124. Any video/audio/vector animations requested in the rich content window 98 at Step S126. Requested 3D data or technical drawings will be rendered by the data presentation layer 18 in a 3D window at Step 128. Such a data request by a 3D engine may be feed back to the data management layer S 110 for more processing of the data or for requesting of more information. f

Claims

Claims 1. A computer system for extracting and linking information from a

database of three dimensional geometry data and a content store, containing data objects, such as an enterprise database or corporate intranet, the system comprising: hierarchy building means for reading the three dimensional geometry data and constructing a hierarchy of 3D nodes of this data, means for building ontological links between the 3D nodes and related data objects from/in the content store, and means for storing the data hierarchy with built ontological links.
2. A computer system according to claim 1 wherein the system comprises an interface for communicating with a viewer for viewing three dimensional visualizations, the system allowing a user to navigate three dimensional geometry data from the 3D database as a three dimensional visualization and retrieve information from the content store that has built links to the viewed/navigated three dimensional geometry.
3. A computer system according to claim 2 wherein a user querying or retrieving data results in related three dimensional geometry data, multimedia or rendered data being displayed.
4. A computer system according to claim 2 or 3 comprising means for building a profile of a user from their activity, the information they retrieve and/or their selected skills, a user profile database for storing the built profile, and means for pre-emptively retrieving and sending via the interface to the viewer, the information pre-emptively retrieved being dependent on the user's profile.
5. A computer system according to any preceding claim comprising a packager which imbeds link tags, wherein the hierarchy of 3D nodes are exported to a first data store with link tags imbedded by the packager accompanying one or more 3D nodes and the relevant data objects and the ontological links between them are stored in a second data store with the imbedded links in the data exported to the first store linking to the data/objects in the second data store that have been associated with the one or more accompanying data nodes by the means for building ontological links
6. A computer system according to any preceding claim comprising means for extracting data objects from the content store, the extracted data being useable by the means for building ontological links and the means for storing the data hierarchy with built ontological links
7. A computer system according to claim 6 wherein the means for extracting data objects takes data from the content store which is part of a built ontology of data objects.
8. A computer system according to claim 7 wherein the means for extracting uses

resource description querying.
9. A computer system according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the means for building ontological links can transmit newly built ontological links between data objects to the content store updating any built ontology stored in it.
10. A computer system according to any of claims 6 to 9 in which the means for extracting data objects can identify catologues in the content store and for each catalogue can identify fields and tables that match criteria desired for extraction and wherein the means for building ontological links can link extracted entity columns to the related 3D node.
11. A computer system according to claim 9 or 10 wherein means for extracting uses RDMS querying such as by using SOAP or WSDL protocols.
12. A computer system according to any of claims 6 to 11 wherein the means for extracting data objects uses full text searching based on the criteria of data it is desired to extract to link to 3D nodes.
13. A computer system according to nay preceding claim wherein the means for building ontological links uses fuzzy logic.
14. A computer system according to claim 13 wherein the means for building ontological links uses a truth maintenance system.
15. A computer system according to nay preceding claim wherein the means for building ontological links comprises a natural language interpreter which processes data objects exkacted by the extracting means and/or in the content store
16 A computer system according to nay preceding claim wherein the means for building ontological links comprises a semantic mapper to interpret data at the semantic level
17. A computer system according to claims 14, 15 and 16 wherein the natural language interpreter creates a rated list of belief values for all the processed data, and the semantic mapper utilises logic rules and truth maintenance using the assigned belief values to decide which data objects to link to which 3D nodes and/or what ontological relationships to build between data objects
18. A computer system according to any preceding claim wherein the hierarchy building means builds a tree data structure of parent and child nodes.
19. A computer system according to any preceding claim wherein the means for storing stores the data in a knowledge database, the system having a viewing mode in which the user views, navigates and queries data, directly from the knowledge database.
20. A computer system according to any preceding claim wherein the system has an authoring mode in which a user can edit ontological links, and/or modify what data is stored in the knowledge database andlor what data is stored in the user profile.
21 A computer system according to nay preceding claim when dependent on claim 2 wherein the system includes the viewer, the viewer comprising text based search and query tools and/or a display component that displays the data hierarchy.
22. A computer system according to any preceding claim in which the data objects can be allocated a permission access level, and the system comprises a memory containing a list of permitted users and which levels which users are permitted to access, wherein a user viewing the data is identified by the system and denied the ability to view data objects with a permission access level higher than that user has been permitted to access.