PRESENTING AND ZOOMING A SET OF OBJECTS WITHIN A WINDOW

• US 20100269062A1
• Filed: 04/15/2009
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: KOBYLINSKI, KRZYSZTOF R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,335,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for presenting a plurality of objects within a display area on a graphical display device. The size of the display area may be received. A plurality of categories may be generated based on the plurality of objects and the received size. A plurality of labels may be generated for the plurality of categories, the labels describing the objects associated with each category. The plurality of categories may be output for display within the display area. The plurality of categories may also form a hierarchy. Commands may be provided for navigating the hierarchy. A user may conveniently and efficiently view, browse, and select the plurality of objects using the hierarchy and the provided commands.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

configuring one or more computer processors to perform an operation comprising;

receiving a request to display a list of a plurality of objects in a display window on a graphical display device, the display window having an insufficient size to display all of the objects in the list simultaneously;

determining a maximum number elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

generating a plurality of categories equal to the maximum number of elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

distributing each of the plurality of objects to one of the generated categories; and

outputting, in response to the request, a list of the generated plurality of categories for display within the display window on the graphical display device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, rendering the list of the generated plurality of categories in the display window on the graphical display device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises:

in response receiving the request, determining the plurality of objects responsive to the first request; and

ordering the received plurality of objects to produce a ordered plurality of objects.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of categories is distributed to a consecutive sequence of objects from the ordered plurality of objects, and wherein the operation further comprises, assigning, to each category, a label indicative of both a first and a last object, of the sequence, distributed to a respective category.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of categories; and

upon determining that the number of objects distributed to the selected category is less than the maximum number elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window, outputting the objects distributed to the selected category for display within the display window.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of categories; and

upon determining that the number of objects distributed to the selected category is greater than the maximum number elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

generating a plurality of sub-categories, the number of subcategories being less than or equal to the maximum number of elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

distributing each of the plurality of objects distributed to the selected category to one of the generated sub categories; and

outputting, in response to the selection of one of the plurality of categories, a list of the generated plurality of sub-categories for display within the display window on the graphical display device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving a request to re-display the plurality of categories; and

outputting, in response to the request, the list of the generated plurality of categories for display within the display window on the graphical display device.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium storing computer usable program code configured to:

receive a request to display a list of a plurality of objects in a display window on a graphical display device, the display window having an insufficient size to display all of the objects in the list simultaneously;

determine a maximum number elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

generate a plurality of categories equal to the maximum number of elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

distribute each of the plurality of objects to one of the generated categories; and

output, in response to the request, a list of the generated plurality of categories for display within the display window on the graphical display device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code is further configured to render the list of the generated plurality of categories in the display window on the graphical display device.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code is further configured to:

in response receiving the request, determine the plurality of objects responsive to the first request; and

order the received plurality of objects to produce a ordered plurality of objects.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of categories is distributed to a consecutive sequence of objects from the ordered plurality of objects, and wherein the computer usable program code is further configured to assign, to each category, a label indicative of both a first and a last object, of the sequence, distributed to a respective category.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code is further configured to:

receive a selection of one of the plurality of categories; and

upon determining that the number of objects distributed to the selected category is less than the maximum number elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window, output the objects distributed to the selected category for display within the display window.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code is further configured to:

receive a selection of one of the plurality of categories; and

upon determining that the number of objects distributed to the selected category is greater than the maximum number elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

generate a plurality of sub-categories, the number of subcategories being less than or equal to the maximum number of elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

distribute each of the plurality of objects distributed to the selected category to one of the generated sub categories; and

output, in response to the selection of one of the plurality of categories, a list of the generated plurality of sub-categories for display within the display window on the graphical display device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code is further configured to:

receive a request to re-display the plurality of categories; and

output, in response to the request, the list of the generated plurality of categories for display within the display window on the graphical display device.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing a program, which when executed by the processor is configured to perform an operation comprising;

receiving a request to display a list of a plurality of objects in a display window on a graphical display device, the display window having an insufficient size to display all of the objects in the list simultaneously;

determining a maximum number elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

generating a plurality of categories equal to the maximum number of elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

distributing each of the plurality of objects to one of the generated categories; and

outputting, in response to the request, a list of the generated plurality of categories for display within the display window on the graphical display device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises rendering the list of the generated plurality of categories in the display window on the graphical display device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises:

in response receiving the request, determining the plurality of objects responsive to the first request; and

ordering the received plurality of objects to produce a ordered plurality of objects.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of categories is distributed to a consecutive sequence of objects from the ordered plurality of objects, and wherein the operation further comprises, assigning, to each category, a label indicative of both a first and a last object, of the sequence, distributed to a respective category.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of categories; and

upon determining that the number of objects distributed to the selected category is less than the maximum number elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window, outputting the objects distributed to the selected category for display within the display window.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of categories; and

upon determining that the number of objects distributed to the selected category is greater than the maximum number elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

generating a plurality of sub-categories, the number of subcategories being less than or equal to the maximum number of elements which can be displayed simultaneously in the display window;

distributing each of the plurality of objects distributed to the selected category to one of the generated sub categories; and

outputting, in response to the selection of one of the plurality of categories, a list of the generated plurality of sub-categories for display within the display window on the graphical display device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving a request to re-display the plurality of categories; and

outputting, in response to the request, the list of the generated plurality of categories for display within the display window on the graphical display device.