Method of displaying nodes and links

• US 20050114795A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Beaudoin, Luc
• Granted Patent: US 7,855,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved method of displaying nodes, and links between nodes. Instead of the conventional method of displaying nodes and links as points and lines respectively, in accordance with the present invention, the nodes are each represented by parallel node lines. The links are then represented by link lines drawn perpendicular to the node lines, each of said link lines terminating at the node lines representing the nodes connected by the link represented by the link line. A graphical user interface incorporating this improved method of displaying nodes and links is also contemplated.

Claims

1. A method for displaying representations of nodes, and links connecting said nodes, said method comprising:

displaying a node line representing each one of said nodes, each node line being parallel to every other node line; and

displaying a link line representing each one of said links, each link line being perpendicular to each node line, wherein each link line terminates at two node lines, said two node lines representing the nodes connected by the link represented by the link line,

wherein each link has associated link attributes, and the step of displaying a link line representing each one of said links comprises;

ordering the link lines according to a selected link attribute identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each link line is displayed with a link line characteristic which visually communicates at least one of the associated link attributes of the link that the link line represents.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the link attribute is communicated by displaying the link line in a distinctive colour.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the link attribute of the link is communicated by displaying the link line as a patterned line.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each link line is displayed in a manner which visually communicates a plurality of link attributes of the link it represents.

60. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a selection input mechanism for selection of a selected plurality of said link lines;

displaying said selected plurality of said link lines in proximity to each other to form a link grouping.

76. The method of claim 2 wherein the link line characteristic comprises a line thickness which is representative of the link attribute.

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75. A graphical user interface displaying a visual representation of nodes, and links connecting said nodes, said visual representation comprising:

a node line representing each one of said nodes, each node line being parallel to every other node line; and

a link line representing each one of said links, each link line being perpendicular to each node line,

wherein each link line terminates at two node lines, said two node lines representing the nodes connected by the link represented by the link line

wherein each link has associated link attributes, and the link lines are ordered according to a selected link attribute identifier, and each link line is displayed with a link line characteristic which visually communicates at least one of the associated link attributes of the link that the link line represents.