Enhanced user interface systems including dynamic context selection for cloud-based networks

• US 10,037,617 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ebtekar, Ali, Garrison, Daniel Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhargava, Anil
• Application Number:
  US14/732,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20160253078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/20 the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a network device associates each tile object of a plurality of tile objects with a tile set. Each tile object includes one or more parameters of a communication network, and each tile set linked to one or more context objects for a dashboard interface. The network device further determines a dynamic context for the communication network, and identifies at least one tile set linked to a context object of the one or more context objects that matches the dynamic context (the at least one tile set includes one or more associated tile objects). The network device also determines a respective display position (e.g., defined by the dashboard interface) to each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects, and provides the dashboard interface for display, with each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects displayed according to the respective display position.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating, by a processor of a network device, each tile object of a plurality of tile objects with a tile set, each tile object including one or more parameters of a communication network, each tile set linked to one or more context objects for a dashboard interface;

determining, by the processor, a dynamic context for the communication network by assigning a weight to each context object of the one or more context objects and indexing the each context object in a hierarchal model;

identifying, by the processor, at least one tile set linked to a context object of the one or more context objects that matches the dynamic context, the at least one tile set includes one or more associated tile objects;

determining, by the processor, a respective display position defined by the dashboard interface to each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects; and

providing, by the processor, the dashboard interface to a client device to cause the client device to display the each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects according to the respective display position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining, by the processor, at least one context object of the one or more contexts for the dashboard interface as a pivot point context object,

wherein determining the dynamic context for the communication network further comprises matching the dynamic context to the at least one context object defined as the pivot point context object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the dynamic context for the communication network further comprises:

receiving, by the processor, a user-selected context for the dashboard interface; and

assigning, by the processor, the user-selected context for the dashboard interface as the dynamic context for the communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the dynamic context for the communication network further comprises:

determining, by the processor, a current network event or current network condition for the communication network.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the hierarchal model associates the each context object with at least one of an initial context object or a sub-context object relative to the initial context object, and

wherein determining the dynamic context for the communication network further comprises:

assigning, by the processor, the context object that matches the dynamic context as the initial context object; and

wherein, providing the dashboard interface to the client device further comprises;

providing the dashboard interface to the client device to cause the client device to display the initial context object and at least one option to pivot the dashboard interface according to at least one sub-context object relative to the initial context object.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

instantiating, by the processor, a default context object as the dynamic context for the communication network based on prior user interaction with the dashboard interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the respective display position further comprises determining a respective display parameter to the each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

assigning a weight to each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects based on at least one of a workflow, a bin-packing algorithm, or a semantic graph,

wherein, determining the respective display position further comprises determining the respective display position and the respective display parameter to the each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects based on the weight assigned to the each tile display object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more context objects represent at least one of a customer, a location, a region, a communication network system, a bandwidth for the communication network, a router, server, a virtual machine, a network event, or a network condition.

10. A network device comprising:

one or more network interfaces to communicate in a communication network;

a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process, the process, when executed by the processor, is operable to;

associate each tile object of a plurality of tile objects with a tile set, each tile object including one or more parameters of the communication network, each tile set linked to one or more context objects for a dashboard interface;

determine a dynamic context for the communication network by assigning a weight to each context object of the one or more context objects and indexing the each context object in a hierarchal model,

identify at least one tile set linked to a context object of the one or more context objects that matches the dynamic context, the at least one tile set includes one or more associated tile objects,

determine a respective display position defined by the dashboard interface for each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects, and

provide the dashboard interface to a client device to cause the client device to display the each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects according to the respective display position.

11. The network device of claim 10,

wherein the process, when executed by the processor, is further operable to:

define at least one context object of the one or more contexts for the dashboard interface as a pivot point context object; and

wherein the process to determine the dynamic context for the communication network is further operable to;

match the dynamic context to the at least one context object defined as the pivot point context object.

12. The network device of claim 10, wherein the process to determine the dynamic context for the communication network is further operable to:

receive a user-selected context for the dashboard interface; and

assign the user-selected context for the dashboard interface as the dynamic context for the communication network.

13. The network device of claim 10, wherein the process to determine the dynamic context for the communication network is further operable to:

determine a current network event or current network condition for the communication network.

14. The network device of claim 10,

wherein the process to determine the dynamic context for the communication network is further operable to:

assign a weight to each context object of the one or more context objects for the dashboard interface,

index the each context object of the one or more context objects in a hierarchal model, the hierarchal model associates the each context object with at least one of an initial context object or a sub-context object relative to the initial context object, and

assign the context object that matches the dynamic context as the initial context object; and

wherein, the process to provide the dashboard interface to the client device is further operable to;

provide the dashboard interface to the client device to cause the client device to display the initial context object and at least one option to pivot the dashboard interface according to at least one sub-context object relative to the initial context object.

15. The network device of claim 10, wherein the process, when executed by the processor, is further operable to:

instantiate a default context object as the dynamic context for the communication network based on prior user interaction with the dashboard interface.

16. The network device of claim 10, wherein the process to determine the respective display position is further operable to assign a respective display parameter to the each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects.

17. The network device of claim 16,

wherein the process, when executed by the processor, is further operable to:

assign a weight to each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects based on at least one of a workflow, a bin-packing algorithm, or a semantic graph; and

wherein, the process to determine the respective display position is further operable to;

determine the respective display position and the respective display parameter to the each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects based on the weight assigned to the each tile display object.

18. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processor, operable to:

associate each tile object of a plurality of tile objects with a tile set, each tile object including one or more parameters of a communication network, each tile set linked to one or more context objects for a dashboard interface;

determine a dynamic context for the communication network by assigning a weight to each context object of the one or more context objects and indexing the each context object in a hierarchal model;

identify at least one tile set linked to a context object of the one or more context objects that matches the dynamic context, the at least one tile set includes one or more associated tile objects;

determine a respective display position defined by the dashboard interface for each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects; and

provide the dashboard interface to a client device to cause the client device to display the each tile object of the one or more associated tile objects according to the respective display position.

19. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are further operable to:

define at least one context object of the one or more contexts for the dashboard interface as a pivot point context object,

wherein the process to determine the dynamic context for the communication network is further operable to match the dynamic context to the at least one context object defined as the pivot point context object.

20. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are further operable to:

receive a user-selected context for the dashboard interface; and

assign the user-selected context for the dashboard interface as the dynamic context for the communication network.