Graphical hierarchy conversion

• US 20080250318A1
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Walter, Wolfgang E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,317,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/713
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention generate a primary interface to display data in a flat format. A secondary interface is generated at the request of a user to display the same data in a tree or similar hierarchical format. The secondary interface is initiated from the primary interface. A user selects data in the secondary interface and thereby navigates to the corresponding data in the primary interface. This system improves user productivity by increasing the speed at which a user finds and interacts with stored data in the supply chain management system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a user input through a first user interface, the first user interface generated by a first user interface module to display data in a flat format; and

generating a second user interface to display the data in a hierarchical format in response to the user input, the second user interface generated by a second user interface module.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second user input through the second user interface; and

positioning a cursor in the first user interface in response to the second user input.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining an icon for a data item to display in the second user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first data item corresponding to the user input; and

retrieving a second data item related to the first data item to display in the second user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third user input indicating a second data through a third user interface in a flat format generated by a third user interface module; and

generating a fourth user interface to display the second data, the fourth user interface generated by the second user interface module.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the data from a first database; and

retrieving hierarchy data related to the data from a second database.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

mapping icons to hierarchy types to be displayed.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a unique identifier of the data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical display is a tree format display.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a legend in the second user interface.

11. A system comprising:

a first application including a first user interface module for accessing data in a table format;

a second user interface module independent of the first application, the second user interface module to generate a second user interface in response to user interaction with the first user interface, the second user interface to display the data in a hierarchical format.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a data provider module to retrieve data requested by the second user interface module.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an icon provider module to retrieve icons related to data to be displayed through the second user interface.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a cursor positioning module to receive an indicator from the second user interface module, the indicator indicating a data item selected in the second user interface, the cursor positioning module to position a cursor in the first user interface at a position corresponding to the data item selected in the second user interface.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a first database to store application data; and

a second database to store application data.

16. A machine readable medium having a set of instructions stored therein which when executed cause a machine to perform a set of operations comprising:

displaying application data through a first user interface of a first application, the first user interface to display application data in a flat format; and

displaying a second user interface generated by an independent module, the second user interface displayed in response to user interaction with the first user interface, the second user interface to display the application data in a hierarchical format.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 16, having a further set of instructions stored therein which when executed cause a machine to perform a set of operations further comprising:

determining icons to be displayed in the second user interface based on data type.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 16, having a further set of instructions stored therein which when executed cause a machine to perform a set of operations further comprising:

positioning a cursor in the first user interface in response to user interaction with the second user interface.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 16, having a further set of instruction stored therein which when executed cause a machine to perform a set of operations further comprising:

determining application data associated with the user interaction;

retrieving the application data from a first database;

determining hierarchical data associated with the user interaction; and

retrieving the hierarchical data from a second database.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 16, having a further set of instructions stored therein which when executed cause a machine to perform a set of operations further comprising:

displaying a result of a modification of data in the second user interface in the first user interface automatically.