Graphical workspace for idea management

• US 20060121436A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andres Kruse, Elaine Kruse
• Original Assignee: Andres Kruse, Elaine Kruse
• Inventors: Kruse, Elaine, Kruse, Andres
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/433
• 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: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, a computer software program that implements a graphical workspace for idea management. This includes a graphical user interface (GUI) with an idea map window and a word processor document window. The idea map represents ideas as a hierarchical network of nodes and links. An interface automatically updates the word processor document using sequencing information from the hierarchical network. A routine automatically arranges nodes in the 2D representation. Another routine automatically generates virtual 3D representations of the idea map.

Claims

1. A machine-assisted method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) including an idea map window for displaying and editing a graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes, the nodes representing ideas, and links between ones of the nodes, the links representing relationships between the ideas; and

providing a word processor document window for displaying information associated with the hierarchical network in a word processor document, the displayed information organized in a sequence obtained by hierarchically processing any linked children nodes in either a clockwise or an anticlockwise manner as displayed about their respective parent nodes in the hierarchical network.

2. The method of claim 1, further including concurrently displaying the idea map window and the word processor document window.

3. The method of claim 1, further including automatically updating the word processing document window with information from any changes in the idea map window.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the graphical representation is a two-dimensional (2D) graphical representation.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the graphical representation is a virtual three-dimensional (3D) graphical representation projected onto a 2D computer screen.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising rotating a 2D graphical representation around at least one axis to obtain the virtual 3D graphical representation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically arranging the graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes, in which the automatically arranging comprises:

determining, for each node, a first coordinate distance to each directly connected node;

determining, for each node, a second coordinate distance to each node that is not directly connected; and

determining, using the first and second coordinate distances, new positions for the nodes.

8. A computerized system comprising:

a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising;

an idea map window configured for displaying and editing a graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes, the nodes representing ideas, and links between ones of the nodes, the links representing relationships between the ideas;

a word processor document window configured for displaying information associated with the hierarchical network in a word processor document; and

an interface between the idea map window and the word processor document window, the interface organizing information displayed in the word processor document window in a sequence obtained by hierarchically processing nodes in the idea map window, the hierarchically processing including locating any displayed linked children nodes in either a clockwise or an anticlockwise manner about their respective parent nodes in the hierarchical network.

9. The system of claim 8, in which the interface between the idea map window and the word processing document window is configured to automatically update the word processing document window with information from any changes in the idea map window.

10. The system of claim 9, in which the GUI includes a user input button for initiating the automatic updating of the word processing window.

11. A machine-readable medium including instructions performable for:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) including an idea map window for displaying and editing a graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes, the nodes representing ideas, and links between ones of the nodes, the links representing relationships between the ideas; and

providing a word processor document window for displaying information associated with the hierarchical network in a word processor document, the displayed information organized in a sequence obtained by hierarchically processing any linked children nodes in either a clockwise or an anticlockwise manner as displayed about their respective parent nodes in the hierarchical network.

12. A machine-assisted method comprising:

displaying a two-dimensional (2D) graphical representation of a chart on a 2D display;

rotating the 2D graphical representation of the chart about at least one axis to obtain a virtual three-dimensional (3D) graphical representation of the chart; and

displaying the virtual 3D graphical representation of the chart on the 2D display.

13. The method of claim 12, in which the chart includes a hierarchical network.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the rotating includes rotating around a horizontal axis through a root node of the hierarchical network.

15. The method of claim 14, in which the rotating further includes rotating around a vertical axis through the root node of the hierarchical network.

16. The method of claim 12, in which the chart includes a flow chart.

17. The method of claim 16, in which the displaying the virtual 3D graphical representation of the chart includes displaying a perspective indication, and in which the perspective indication is visually indicative of a spatial relationship between the 3D graphical representation of the chart and the 2D graphical representation of the chart.

18. The method of claim 17, in which the perspective indication includes a grid.

19. The method of claim 18, further including displaying the perspective indication with the 2D graphical representation of the chart, and in which the perspective indication includes a grid with right angles between intersecting gridlines when displayed with the 2D graphical representation of the chart, and in which the perspective indication includes a grid with at least one non-right angle between intersecting gridlines when displayed with the 3D graphical representation of the chart.

20. The method of claim 12, in which the displaying the 2D graphical representation of a chart on the 2D display includes displaying a grid, and in which the displaying the 3D graphical representation of the chart includes modifying the grid to be indicative of a viewing perspective.

21. A computerized system comprising:

a two-dimensional (2D) display configured to display a 2D graphical representation of a chart and a virtual 3D graphical representation of the chart; and

a processor, the processor configured to perform instructions to rotate the 2D graphical representation of the chart about at least one axis to obtain the virtual 3D graphical representation of the chart.

22. The system of claim 21, including a perspective indication displayed with the 2D graphical representation of the chart and the virtual 3D graphical representation of the chart, the perspective indication changing between the 2D graphical representation of the chart and the virtual 3D graphical representation of the chart to provide a visual perspective indicative of a spatial relationship between the 2D graphical representation of the chart and the virtual 3D graphical representation of the chart.

23. The system of claim 22, in which the perspective indication includes a grid.

24. A machine-readable medium including instructions performable for:

displaying a two-dimensional (2D) graphical representation of a chart on a 2D display;

rotating the 2D graphical representation of the chart about at least one axis to obtain a virtual three-dimensional (3D) graphical representation of the chart; and

displaying the virtual 3D graphical representation of the chart on the 2D display.

25. A machine-assisted method comprising:

automatically arranging a graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes for display, in which the automatically arranging comprises;

determining, for each node, a first coordinate distance to each directly connected node;

determining, for each node, a second coordinate distance to each node that is not directly connected; and

determining, using the first and second coordinate distances, new positions for the nodes; and

displaying the automatically arranged graphical representation of the hierarchical network on a computer display.

26. The method of claim 25, in which the determining includes calculating, for each node i, a two-dimensional vector (X_i,Y_i) as

$X_i=r$

∑

j  

⁢

x ij ( x ij 2 + y ij 2 ) R - a ⁢

∑

k ⁢

x ij [ D - ( x ik 2 + y ik 2 ) ] A $Y_i=r<br><br>\underset{j}{\overset{\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>\frac{y_{\mathrm{ij}}}{{\left(x_{\mathrm{ij}}^2+y_{\mathrm{ij}}^2\right)}^R}-a<br><br>\underset{k}{\sum <br><br>}<br><br>\frac{y_{\mathrm{ij}}}{{\left[D-\left(x_{\mathrm{ik}}^2+y_{\mathrm{ik}}^2\right)\right]}^A}$

wherein R, A, r, a, and D are specified constants.

27. The method of claim 25, in which the displaying the automatically arranged graphical representation of the hierarchical network on the computer display includes displaying the graphical representation of the hierarchical network in a form that radiates star-like outward surrounding a root node.

28. The method of claim 25, in which the displaying the automatically arranged graphical representation of the hierarchical network on the computer display includes displaying the graphical representation of the hierarchical network in a form that extends root-like or branch-like from a root node.

29. A machine-readable medium including instructions for performing a method comprising:

automatically arranging a graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes for display, in which the automatically arranging comprises;

determining, for each node, a first coordinate distance to each directly connected node;

determining, for each node, a second coordinate distance to each node that is not directly connected; and

determining, using the first and second coordinate distances, new positions for the nodes; and

displaying the automatically arranged graphical representation of the hierarchical network on a computer display.

30. A computerized system comprising:

a computer display configured to display a graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes for display; and

a processor configured to automatically arrange the graphical representation of the hierarchical network of nodes for display by;

determining, for each node, a first coordinate distance to each directly connected node;

determining, for each node, a second coordinate distance to each node that is not directly connected; and

determining, using the first and second coordinate distances, new positions for the nodes.

31. A machine-assisted method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) including an idea map window for displaying and editing a graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes, the nodes representing ideas, and links between ones of the nodes, the links representing relationships between the ideas;

providing a word processor document window for displaying information associated with the hierarchical network in a word processor document, the displayed information organized in a sequence obtained from the hierarchical network of nodes;

concurrently displaying the idea map window and the word processor document window; and

automatically updating the word processing document window with information from any changes in the idea map window to maintain consistency between the idea map window and the word processing document window.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising automatically scrolling to a corresponding portion of the displayed word processor document when a corresponding node in the displayed idea map is selected by the user.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising organizing the displayed information in the word processor document by hierarchically processing any linked children nodes in either a clockwise or an anticlockwise manner as displayed about their respective parent nodes in the hierarchical network.

34. A machine-readable medium including instructions for performing a method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) including an idea map window for displaying and editing a graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes, the nodes representing ideas, and links between ones of the nodes, the links representing relationships between the ideas;

providing a word processor document window for displaying information associated with the hierarchical network in a word processor document, the displayed information organized in a sequence obtained from the hierarchical network of nodes;

concurrently displaying the idea map window and the word processor document window; and

automatically updating the word processing document window with information from any changes in the idea map window to maintain consistency between the idea map window and the word processing document window.

35. A computerized system comprising:

a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising;

an idea map window configured for displaying and editing a graphical representation of a hierarchical network of nodes, the nodes representing ideas, and links between ones of the nodes, the links representing relationships between the ideas;

a word processor document window configured for displaying information associated with the hierarchical network in a word processor document, wherein the word processor document window is displayed concurrently with the idea map window; and

an interface between the idea map window and the word processor document window, the interface organizing information displayed in the word processor document window in a sequence from the hierarchical network of nodes in the idea map window, the interface automatically updating the word processing document window with information from any changes in the idea map window to maintain consistency between the idea map window and the word processing document window.

36. The system of claim 35, in which the GUI is configured to scroll to a corresponding portion of the displayed word processor document when a corresponding node in the displayed idea map is selected by the user.

37. The system of claim 35, in which the interface is configured to organize the displayed information in the word processor document by hierarchically processing any linked children nodes in either a clockwise or an anticlockwise manner as displayed about their respective parent nodes in the hierarchical network.