Mouse radar for enhanced navigation of a topology

• US 20060242605A1
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Steven P., Uthe, Robert T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/855
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for enhancing navigation of a topology within a visual display. A system is disclosed including: a system for displaying an enhanced mouse pointer in a current view, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes an indicator that points to a resource outside the current view; and a processing system for calculating the indicator by analyzing resources in the topology.

Claims

1. A system for enhancing navigation of a topology within a visual display, comprising:

a system for displaying an enhanced mouse pointer in a current view, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes an indicator that points to a resource outside the current view; and

a processing system for calculating the indicator by analyzing resources in the topology.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes a circular band surrounding a pointer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicator is located along the circular band.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicator includes an attribute that provides information about the resource.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a color, a shape, and a size.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the circular band includes an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter and wherein a position of the indicator relative to the inner and outer perimeters provides a relative distance to the resource.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system identifies resources of interest for a user based on a set of user preferences.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes a separate indicator for each of the identified resources of interest.

9. A program product stored on a computer readable medium for enhancing navigation of a topology in a visual display, wherein the program product comprises:

program code configured for displaying an enhanced mouse pointer in a current view, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes an indicator that points to a resource outside the current view; and

program code configured for calculating the indicator by analyzing resources in the topology.

10. The program product of claim 9, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes a circular band surrounding a pointer.

11. The program product of claim 10, wherein the indicator is located along the circular band.

12. The program product of claim 10, wherein the indicator includes an attribute that provides information about the resource.

13. The program product of claim 12, wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a color, a shape, and a size.

14. The program product of claim 11, wherein the circular band includes an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter and wherein a position of the indicator relative to the inner and outer perimeters provides a relative distance to the resource.

15. The program product of claim 9, wherein the processing system identifies resources of interest for a user based on a set of user preferences.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes a separate indicator for each of the identified resources of interest.

17. A method for enhancing navigation of a topology in a visual display, wherein the method comprises:

positioning a mouse pointer in a current view of the topology;

calculating an indicator by analyzing resources in the topology; and

displaying the indicator proximate the mouse pointer, wherein the indicator points to a resource of interest outside the current view.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the indicator is displayed along a band surrounding the mouse pointer.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the indicator includes an attribute that provides information about the resource of interest.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a color, a shape, and a size.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the band includes an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter and wherein a position of the indicator relative to the inner and outer perimeters provides a relative distance to the resource of interest.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of calculating the indicator includes:

identifying at least one resource of interest;

determining a position of the at least one resource of interest; and

determining attributes for the at least one resource of interest.

23. A method for deploying a topology navigation system, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

position a mouse pointer in a current view of the topology;

calculate an indicator by analyzing resources in the topology; and

display the indicator proximate the mouse pointer, wherein the indicator points to a resource of interest outside the current view.

24. Computer software embodied in a propagated signal for implementing a topology navigation system, the computer software comprising instructions to cause a computer to perform the following functions:

position a mouse pointer in a current view of the topology;

calculate an indicator by analyzing resources in the topology; and

display the indicator proximate the mouse pointer, wherein the indicator points to a resource of interest outside the current view.