Method and apparatus for controlling the display of hierarchical information

• US 20010043238A1
• Filed: 04/26/2001
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Guerrero, Jaime F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention display hierarchical information efficiently. Hierarchical information is displayed in a vertical browser comprising a path list and a choices list. A choices list displays selection choices at a given hierarchical level. When a selection is made in the choices list, the selection is displayed in the path list. The choices list is updated to reflect the next hierarchical level. The path list displays a plurality of choices that represent the traversal path through the hierarchical information. Backwards traversal is possible by selecting an entry in the path list. The path list is updated to remove the selected entry and any successive entry. The hierarchical level that contains the path list entry is displayed in the choices list. The path and choices list can be independently sized and are automatically maintained to remove irrelevant information.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a method of presenting information associated with a hierarchy comprising the steps of:

creating a first display area, said first display area displaying a first node of said hierarchy;

creating a second display area, said second display area presenting a plurality of child nodes of said first node;

performing the following when one of said plurality of child nodes in said second display area is selected;

updating said first display area to include said one of said plurality of child nodes; and

updating said second display area to display a plurality of nodes in place of said plurality of child nodes, said plurality of nodes being the child nodes of said selected child node.

2. The method of

claim 1

wherein said hierarchy comprises a file system.

3. The method of

claim 1

wherein said step of updating said first display area further comprises the steps of:

performing the following when said first node is selected in said first display area;

removing said one of said child nodes from said first display area; and

updating said second display area to display said plurality of child nodes.

4. The method of

claim 3

further comprising the step of placing the cursor over said one of said child nodes in said second display area.

5. The method of

claim 1

wherein said step of updating said second display area further comprising the steps of:

determining whether said child node is a leaf node of said hierarchy; and

removing said second display area, if said child node is a leaf node.

6. The method of

claim 1

wherein a size of said first display area is independent of a size of said second display area.

7. The method of

claim 1

wherein said step of updating said second display area further comprises the step of placing a marquee over said one of said child nodes of said selected child node.

8. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising said step of displaying a marquee over said one of said child nodes in said second display.

9. The method of

claim 8

further comprising the step of moving said marquee one entry in said second display area in response to arrow key input.

10. The method of

claim 8

wherein said marquee is positioned over said one of said child nodes, said method further comprising the step of selecting said one of said child nodes in response to right arrow key input.

11. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the steps of:

receiving character input;

adding said character input to a search criteria;

repositioning a cursor on said one of said plurality of child nodes in response to said character input, said one of said plurality of child nodes resembling said search criteria.

12. The method of

claim 1

wherein said step of performing further comprises the steps of:

determining whether there is unused display space in said first display area;

performing the following when there is unused display space in said first display area;

resizing said first display area to eliminate said unused display space;

expanding said second display area to include said unused display space.

13. A hierarchical information browser comprising:

a computer system having a processor and memory;

a process executing in said computer;

a first display area controlled by said process, said first display area having a plurality of entries that identify a selected path through said hierarchical information;

a second display area controlled by said process, said second display area having a plurality of path choices of said hierarchical information.

14. The hierarchical information browser of

claim 13

wherein a size of said first display area is independent of a size of said second display area.

15. The hierarchical information browser of

claim 13

wherein said first display area is limited to a maximum size.

16. The hierarchical information browser of

claim 15

wherein a scrolling mechanism is activated when said first display area reaches said maximum size.

17. An computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for presenting information associated with a hierarchy comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to create a first display area, said first display area displays a first node of said hierarchy;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to create a second display area, said second display area presenting a plurality of child nodes of said first node;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to perform the following when one of said plurality of child nodes in said second display area is selected;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to update said first display area to include said one of said plurality of child nodes; and

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to update said second display area to display a plurality of nodes in place of said plurality of child nodes, said plurality of nodes being the child nodes of said selected child node.

18. The computer program product of

claim 17

wherein said hierarchy comprises a file system.

19. The computer program product of

claim 17

wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to update said first display area further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to execute the following when said first node is selected in said first display area;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to remove said one of said child nodes from said first display area; and

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to update said second display area to display said plurality of child nodes.

20. The computer program product of

claim 19

further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to place a cursor over said one of said child nodes in said second display area.

21. The computer program product of

claim 17

wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to update said second display area further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to determine whether said child node is a leaf node of said hierarchy; and

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to remove said second display area, if said child node is a leaf node.

22. The computer program product of

claim 17

wherein a size of said first display area is independent of a size of said second display area.

23. In a computer system, a method of presenting information associated with a hierarchy comprising the steps of:

updating a first display area to include a first node of said hierarchy in response to said selection of said first node in a second display; and

updating said second display to display a plurality of child nodes of said first node.

24. The method of

claim 23

wherein said hierarchy comprises at least one element of a file system.

25. The method of

claim 23

further comprising the steps of:

reallocating a portion of said first display area to said second display area when said portion of said first display area is unused.

26. The method of

claim 23

wherein said step of updating said second display area further comprises the steps of:

removing said second display area, if said first node is a leaf node.

27. The method of

claim 23

further comprising the steps of:

removing said first node of said hierarhcy in response to a selection in said first display of a parent node of said first node;

updating said second display to display a plurality of child nodes of said parent node, said plurality of child nodes including said first node.