Graph Expansion Mini-view

• US 20110234595A1
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BMC Software Incorporated (KKR & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BMC Software Incorporated (KKR & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Poston, Ricky L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,710,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A graphical representation of a service model provides a full view of a portion of the graphical representation. A sub graph view may be displayed for nodes of the graphical representation of the service model that are associated with a selected node, including nodes that may not be visible in the full view. The sub graph view may be interactive, providing additional information regarding the nodes displayed in the sub graph view, and allowing making nodes in the sub graph view visible or invisible in the full view. Information may be displayed in the sub graph view about the status of the components being modeled by the service model corresponding to nodes displayed in the sub graph view.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying, in a first window, a first portion of a plurality of nodes, each of the plurality of nodes representing a component modeled by a service model;

determining that a cursor is positioned substantially coincident with a first target area associated with a first node of the first portion of the plurality of nodes;

displaying, in a second window, the first node and a second portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node, at least some of the second portion of the plurality of nodes invisible in the first window, responsive to the act of determining that a cursor is positioned substantially coincident with a first target area associated with a first node of the first portion of the plurality of nodes; and

ceasing display of the second window upon determining that the cursor is positioned outside of the second window.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the cursor is positioned substantially coincident with a second target area associated with the first node;

displaying, in a third window, the first node and a third portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node, at least some of the third portion of the plurality of nodes invisible in the first window, responsive to the act of determining that a cursor is positioned substantially coincident with a second target area associated with the first node; and

ceasing display of the third window upon determining that the cursor is positioned outside of the third window.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the cursor is positioned substantially coincident with either the first target area or a second target area associated with the first node; and

displaying, in the second window, the first node, the second portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node, and a third portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node, the third portion of the plurality of nodes invisible in the first window, responsive to the act of determining that the cursor is positioned substantially coincident with either the first target area or a second target area associated with the first node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of displaying, in a second window, the first node and a second portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node comprises:

displaying a second node of the second portion of the plurality of nodes in a color indicating a status of a component corresponding to the second node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of displaying, in a second window, the first node and a second portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node comprises:

displaying a second node of the second portion of the plurality of nodes as an icon representing a type of the component corresponding to the second node.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the act of displaying a second node of the second portion of the plurality of nodes as an icon representing a type of the component corresponding to the second node comprises:

displaying the icon in a color indicating a status of the component corresponding to the second node.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a selection of a second node of the second portion of the plurality of nodes; and

displaying the second node in the first window.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a selection of a second node of the second portion of the plurality of nodes, wherein the second node is visible in the first window; and

removing the second node from the first window.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a selection of a selection element in the second window; and

removing all of the second portion of the plurality of nodes from the first window, responsive to the act of detecting a selection of a selection element in the second window.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a selection of a selection element in the second window; and

making all of the second portion of the plurality of nodes visible in the first window, responsive to the act of detecting a selection of a selection element in the second window.

19. A computer readable medium with instructions for a programmable control device stored thereon wherein the instructions cause the programmable control device to perform the method of claim 1.

20. A networked computer system comprising:

a plurality of computers communicatively coupled, at least one of the plurality of computers programmed to perform at least a portion of the method of claim 1 wherein the entire method of claim 1 is performed collectively by the plurality of computers.

11. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a display, coupled to the processor;

a user input device, coupled to the processor;

a storage subsystem, coupled to the processor; and

software stored on the storage subsystem, that when executed causes the processor to perform acts comprising;

generating a graphical representation of a service model, comprising a plurality of nodes, each representing a component modeled by the service model;

displaying in a first window on the display a first portion of the plurality of nodes;

defining a first target area on the display associated with a first node of the plurality of nodes; and

displaying in a second window on the display the first node and a second portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node, the second portion of the plurality of nodes mutually exclusive with the first portion of the plurality of nodes, responsive to detecting that a cursor associated with the user input device is positioned with the first target area.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the software when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform acts further comprising:

removing the second window from the display responsive to detecting that the cursor is positioned outside of the second window.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the software when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform acts further comprising:

removing the second window from the display responsive to detecting a predefined input from the user input device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the software when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform acts further comprising:

defining a second target area on the display associated with the first node; and

displaying, in a third window on the display, the first node and a third portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node, the third portion of the plurality of nodes mutually exclusive with the first portion of the plurality of nodes, responsive to detecting that a cursor associated with the user input device is positioned with the second target area.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the software when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform acts further comprising:

removing the third window from the display responsive to detecting that the cursor is positioned outside of the third window.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the software when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform acts further comprising:

removing the third window from the display responsive to detecting a predefined input from the user input device.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the software when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform acts further comprising:

defining a second target area on the display associated with the first node; and

displaying, in the second window on the display, the first node, the second portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node, and a third portion of the plurality of nodes coupled to the first node, the first portion of the plurality of nodes, the second portion of the plurality of nodes, and the third portion of the plurality of nodes mutually exclusive with each other, responsive to detecting that the cursor is positioned with either of the first target area or the second target area.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the software when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform acts further comprising:

displaying on the display information associated with a second node of the second portion of the plurality of nodes responsive to detecting an interaction between the user input device and the second node displayed in the second window.