Methods of centering nodes in a hierarchical display
First Claim
1. A method of operating a processor connected for providing image data to an image output device that includes a display, the image output device presenting images on the display in response to the image data;
- the processor further being connected for receiving signals from a user input device;
the method comprising steps of;
providing first image data so that the image output device presents a first image, the first image including a first node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
the first node-link structure including a first set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows with at least two nodes in one row and at least one node in a different row;
the first node-link structure having a centering line across which row extends;
the first node-link structure further including a first set of two or more links, each of the first set of links being perciptible as connecting two of the first set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in different rows;
receiving a signal from the user input device indicating one of the first set of nodes in the first node-link structure;
in response to the signal from the user, determining whether the indicated node is at the centering line of the first node-link structure; and
if the indicated node is not at the centering line of the first node-link structure, providing second image data so that the image output device presents a second image, the second image including a second node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
the second node-link structure including a second set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows with at least two modes in one row and at least one node in a different row;
the second node-link structure having a centering line across which row extends;
the second node-link structure further including a second set of two or more links, each of the second set of links being perceptible as connecting two of the second set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in different rows;
each of the second set of nodes being perceptible as a continuation of a respective one of the first set of nodes;
the second set of nodes including a continued indicated node that is perceptible as a continuation of the indicated node;
the continued indicated node being at the centering line of the second node-link structure;
the rows of the second node-link structure being perceptible as continuations of the rows of the first node-link structure, with the indicated node'"'"'s row shifted to position the continued indicated node at the centering line of the second node-link structure.
4 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image is presented that includes a node-link structure. The nodes are in rows, and each row extends across a centering line. The rows are in sequence along the centering line, with links between nodes in adjacent rows. When a user requests a centering operation for an indicated node, a sequence of images is presented, each including a row that appears to be a continuation of the row with the indicated node and that includes a continued indicated node that appears to be a continuation of the indicated node. The rows appear to be shifted, bringing the continued indicated nodes toward the centering line, until a final shift locks the continued indicated node into position at the centering line. The positions of the indicated node and a subset of the continued indicated nodes together can define an asymptotic path that begins at the position of the indicated node and approaches the centering line asymptotically until the final shift occurs. The displacements between positions can follow a logarithmic function, with each displacement being a proportion of the distance from the preceding position to the centering line. Each step can include an animation loop. If the node-link structure represents a hierarchical body of data with each node representing a data item, the indicated node'"'"'s descendants and ancestors within the hierarchy can also be shifted to the centering line. Each node can be rectangular, and the nodes in each row can be separated by equal offsets to provide compact rows. Each node can be a selectable unit, so that the user can request a centering operation by selecting a node, such as with a mouse click.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of operating a processor connected for providing image data to an image output device that includes a display, the image output device presenting images on the display in response to the image data;
- the processor further being connected for receiving signals from a user input device;
the method comprising steps of;providing first image data so that the image output device presents a first image, the first image including a first node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
the first node-link structure including a first set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows with at least two nodes in one row and at least one node in a different row;
the first node-link structure having a centering line across which row extends;
the first node-link structure further including a first set of two or more links, each of the first set of links being perciptible as connecting two of the first set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in different rows;receiving a signal from the user input device indicating one of the first set of nodes in the first node-link structure; in response to the signal from the user, determining whether the indicated node is at the centering line of the first node-link structure; and if the indicated node is not at the centering line of the first node-link structure, providing second image data so that the image output device presents a second image, the second image including a second node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
the second node-link structure including a second set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows with at least two modes in one row and at least one node in a different row;
the second node-link structure having a centering line across which row extends;
the second node-link structure further including a second set of two or more links, each of the second set of links being perceptible as connecting two of the second set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in different rows;each of the second set of nodes being perceptible as a continuation of a respective one of the first set of nodes;
the second set of nodes including a continued indicated node that is perceptible as a continuation of the indicated node;
the continued indicated node being at the centering line of the second node-link structure;the rows of the second node-link structure being perceptible as continuations of the rows of the first node-link structure, with the indicated node'"'"'s row shifted to position the continued indicated node at the centering line of the second node-link structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- the processor further being connected for receiving signals from a user input device;
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11. A method of operating a processor connected for providing image data to an image output device that includes display, the image output device presenting images on the display in response to the image data;
- the processor further being connected for receiving signals from a user input device;
the method comprising;a step of providing initial image data so that the image output device presents an initial image, the initial image including an initial node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
the initial node-link structure including an initial set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows with at least two nodes in one row and at least one node in a different row;
the initial node-link structure having a centering line across which each row extends;
the initial structure further including an initial set of two or more links, each of the initial set of links being perceptible as connecting two of the initial set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in different rows;a step of receiving a signal from the user input device indicating one of the initial set of nodes in the initial node-link structure;
in response to the signal from the user, a step of determining whether the indicated node is at the centering line of the initial node-link structure; andif the indicated node is not at the centering line of the initial node-link structure, a sequence of image output steps, each image output step providing respective-image data so that the image output device presents a respective image including a respective node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
each image output step'"'"'s node-link structure including a respective set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows with at least two nodes in one row and at least one node in a different row;
the node-link structure having a centering line across which each row extends;
each image output step'"'"'s node-link structure further including a respective set of two or more links, each perceptible as connecting two of the respective set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in different rows;each node in each image output step'"'"'s set of nodes being perceptible as a continuation of a respective one of the initial set of nodes;
the step'"'"'s set of nodes including a respective continued indicated node that is perceptible as a continuation of the indicated node;
the step'"'"'s continued indicated node being shifted toward the centering line of the step'"'"'s node-link structure;
the rows of the step'"'"'s node-link structure being perceptible as continuations of the rows of the initial node-link structure, with the indicated node'"'"'s row shifted to move the step'"'"'s continued indicated node toward centering line of the second node-link structure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- the processor further being connected for receiving signals from a user input device;
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19. A method of operating a processor connected for providing image data to an image output device that includes a display, the image output device presenting images on the display in response to the image data;
- the processor further being connected for receiving signals from a user input device;
the method comprising steps of;providing first image data so that the image output device presents a first image, the first image including a first node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
the first node-link structure including a first set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows with at least two nodes in one row and at least one node in a different row;
the first node-link structure having a centering line across which each row extends;
the first node-link structure further including a first set of two or more links, each of the first set of links being perceptible as connecting two of the first set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in different rows;receiving a signal from the user input device indicating an indicated set of nodes in the first node-link structure;
each of the rows in the first node-link structure including no more than one of the indicated set of nodes;in response to the signal from the user, determining whether each of the nodes in the indicated set of nodes is at the centering line of the first node-link structure; and if at least one of the nodes in the indicated set of nodes is not at the centering line of the first node-link structure, providing second image data so that the image output device presents a second image, the second image including a second node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
the second node-link structure including a second set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows, each node being in a respective one of the rows withat least two nodes in one row and at least one node in a a different row;
the second node-link structure having a centering line across which each row extends;
the second node-link structure further including a second set of two or more links, each of the second set of links being perceptible as connecting two of the second set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in respective rows that are next to each other in the sequence;each of the second set of nodes being perceptible as a continuation of a respective one of the first set of nodes;
the second set of nodes including, for each of the indicated set of nodes in the first node-link structure that is not at the centering line, a respective continued node that is perceptible as a continuation of the node;
the continued node being at the centering line of the second node-link structure;the rows of the second node-link structure being perceptible as continuations of the rows of the first node-link structure, with each row that includes a continued node of one of the indicated set of nodes that is not at the centering line in the first node-link structure shifted to position the continued node at the centering line of the second node-link structure. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- the processor further being connected for receiving signals from a user input device;
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26. A method of operating a processor connected for providing image data to an image output device that includes a display, the image output device presenting images on the display in response to the image data;
- the processor further being connected for receiving signals from a user input device;
the method comprising;providing first image data so that the image output device presents a first image, the first image including a first node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
the first node-link structure including a first set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows with at least two nodes in one row and at least one node in a different row;
the first node-link structure having a centering line across which each row extends;
the first node-link structure further including a first set of two or more links, each of the first set of links being perceptible as connecting two of the first set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in different rows;receiving a signal from the user input device indicating one of the first set of nodes in the first node-link structure; in response to the signal from the user, automatically determining whether the indicated node is at the centering line of the first node-link structure; if the indicated node is not at the centering line of the first node-link structure, automatically providing second image data so that the image output device presents a second image following the first image in sequence so that the first and second images are presented in succession;
the second image including a second node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface;
the second node-link structure including a second set of three or more nodes arranged in two or more rows with at least two nodes in one row and at least one node in a different row;
the second node-link structure having a centering line across which each row extends;
the second node-link structure further including a second set of two or more links, each of the second set of links being perceptible as connecting two of the second set of nodes, the two connected nodes being in different rows;each of the second set of nodes being perceptible as a continuation of a respective one of the first set of nodes;
the second set of nodes including a continued indicated node that is perceptible as a continuation of the indicated node;
the continued indicated node being at the centering line of the second node-link structure;the rows of the second node-link structure being perceptible as continuations of the rows of the first node-link structure, with the indicated node'"'"'s row shifted to position the continued indicated node at the centering line of the second node-link structure.
- the processor further being connected for receiving signals from a user input device;
Specification