Data processor controlled interface with multiple tree of elements views expandable into individual detail views

• US 20010022592A1
• Filed: 05/24/2001
• Published: 09/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Nelson Jeffcoat, Claudia Alimpich, Deborah Elizabeth Neuhard, James Philip John Wittig, Luana Linda Vigil
• Inventors: Jeffcoat, Benjamin Nelson, Alimpich, Claudia, Neuhard, Deborah Elizabeth, Vigil, Luana Linda, Wittig, James Philip John
• Granted Patent: US 6,965,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A data processing controlled display system for the interactive display and control of a hierarchical trees of elements or objects in which multiple tree views are presented to the user. The objects in the views are selectable to display detail views of the objects, particularly attributes of the child objects of the selected parent object. The multiple tree views may be of different portions of the same tree or of different trees. The tree views are thus available for side by side comparison and detailed study, after which the system provides the capability to transfer objects from tree view to tree view, e.g. by drag and drop means.

Claims

1. A data processor controlled user interactive display interface comprising:

a first tree view of a hierarchy of selectable elements in one region of a display interface screen,

a second tree view of a hierarchy of selectable elements in a second region of a display interface screen, and

means responsive to the selection of an element from either said first or second tree view for displaying additional data relative to said selected element in another region of said screen.

2. The display interface of

claim 1

wherein said first and second views are respective portions of the same hierarchical tree.

3. The display interface of

claim 2

wherein,

said selected element is a parent object, and

said additional displayed data comprises the attributes of a plurality of child objects of said selected object.

4. The display interface of

claim 1

further including means for interactively transferring elements from one of said tree views of elements to another of said tree views.

5. The display interface of

claim 4

wherein said means for transferring said elements are drag and drop means.

6. The display interface of

claim 3

further including means for interactively transferring objects from one of said tree views of objects to another of said tree views.

7. The display interface of

claim 6

wherein said means for transferring said objects are drag and drop means.

8. The display interface of

claim 2

wherein said interface is for the interactive control of production operations.

9. The display interface of

claim 8

wherein said production operations are printing operations.

10. A method for interactively interfacing with a data processor controlled display comprising:

providing a first tree view of a hierarchy of selectable elements in one region of a display interface screen,

providing a second tree view of a hierarchy of selectable elements in a second region of a display interface screen,

enabling the interactive selection of an element from either said first or said second tree views, and

displaying additional data relative to a selected element in another region of said screen in response to the selection of an element.

11. The method of

claim 10

including the further step of interactively selecting an element from one of said tree views.

12. The method of

claim 11

wherein said first and second views are respective portions of the same hierarchical tree.

13. The method of

claim 12

wherein,

said selected element is a parent object, and said additional displayed data comprises the attributes of a plurality of child objects of said selected object.

14. The method of

claim 10

further including the step of,

interactively transferring elements from one of said tree views of elements to another of said tree views.

15. The method of

claim 14

wherein said transferring of said elements is by drag and drop steps.

16. The method of

claim 13

further including the step of, interactively transferring objects from one of said tree views of objects to another of said tree views.

17. The method of

claim 16

wherein said transferring of said objects is by drag and drop steps.

18. The method of

claim 17

wherein said method is for the interactive control of production operations.

19. The method of

claim 18

wherein said production operations are printing operations.

20. A computer controlled display program having program code included on a computer readable medium for a user interactive interface to a computer controlled display comprising:

a first tree view of a hierarchy of selectable elements in one region of a display interface screen,

a second tree view of a hierarchy of selectable elements in a second region of a display interface screen, and

means responsive to the selection of an element from either said first or second tree view for displaying additional data relative to said selected element in another region of said screen.

21. The computer controlled display program of

claim 20

wherein said first and second views are respective portions of the same hierarchical tree.

22. The computer controlled display program of

claim 21

wherein,

said selected element is a parent object, and

said additional displayed data comprises the attributes of a plurality of child objects of said selected object.

23. The computer controlled display program of

claim 20

further including means for interactively transferring elements from one of said tree views of elements to another of said tree views.

24. The computer controlled display program of

claim 23

wherein said means for transferring said elements are drag and drop means.

25. The computer controlled display program of

claim 22

further including means for interactively transferring objects from one of said tree views of objects to another of said tree views.

26. The computer controlled display program of

claim 25

wherein said means for transferring said objects are drag and drop means.

27. The computer controlled display program of

claim 21

wherein said interface is for the interactive control of production operations.

28. The computer controlled display program of

claim 27

wherein said production operations are printing operations.

29. A data processor controlled user interactive display interface for controlling printers in a printer shop operation comprising:

a first tree view of a hierarchy of selectable elements in one region of a display interface screen,

a second tree view of a hierarchy of selectable elements in a second region of a display interface screen, and

means responsive to the selection of an element from either said first or second tree view for displaying additional data relative to said selected element in another region of said screen.