Attribute driven dynamic tree structure

• US 20030105771A1
• Filed: 12/01/2001
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Instinet Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Instinet Incorporated
• Inventors: Howard, Ian G., Brain, Steven F., Tiefenbrun, Natan E.
• Application Number:
  US10/008,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20030105771A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/103R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156

Abstract

A method is provided for creating a tree having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of objects associated therewith, each object having a plurality of attributes. The method includes the steps of (1) selecting, by a user, the attributes in accordance with the user'"'"'s preference, and (2) creating the tree in accordance with the selected attributes.

Claims

1. A method for creating a tree having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of objects associated therewith, each object having a plurality of attributes, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting, by a user, the attributes in accordance with the user'"'"'s preference; and

creating the tree in accordance with the selected attributes.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the tree.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein when one of the tree nodes is selected by the user, all of the objects associated with at least that node are also displayed.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of associating a new object with one of the tree nodes.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of associating a modified object with one of the tree nodes.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein a node is added to the tree when an object requiring that node has been added or modified.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein a node is deleted when objects requiring that node no longer exist.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user selects a node to operate upon the objects associated with the selected node.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the user selects two or more nodes to operate upon all objects associated with the selected nodes.

10. A method associated with claim 1, wherein the attributes may be inherent or derived.

11. A method for displaying a plurality of objects of a tree having a plurality of nodes, said method comprising the steps of:

associating the plurality of objects with the node, each object having a plurality of attributes, wherein the objects associated with any one of the nodes is a superset of objects associated with lower nodes; and

applying a filter to each lower node in successive fashion so that only those objects contained in a higher node that have an attribute matching the node attribute are displayed.