System and method for selecting symbols and displaying their graphics objects in a detail window

• US 5,504,853 A
• Filed: 08/21/1992
• Issued: 04/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Szardenings, Michael, Schuur, Adrianus
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US07/933,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155-161, 395/121, 395/133, 395/147, 345/117-120, 345/113, 345/121, 345/133, 345/138, 364/191
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

A display tool is used to simplify the display of a plurality of graphical objects on a display screen. The tool allows a user to select from an inventory of fragments which are required to build a figure. These figures can have child and grandchild elements associated with them. Each figure also has a symbol associated with it. On the display device, an overview window is produced on which graphic objects are shown in symbol form. An arbitrary subset of symbols in the overview window is selected by the user and produces a detail window showing graphical objects or symbols corresponding to the subset of symbols in more detail. These graphical objects are displayed using either their fragment form or their symbol form based on a threshold value as to eliminate overcrowding of screen space. Child and grandchild figure can be directly observed in the detail window by zooming into the selected figure.

Claims

1. A graphics display system comprising:

a graphics processor for generating graphics objects from a plurality of graphics primitives and for generating symbols, each symbol corresponding to at least one of said generated graphics objects;

image memory for storing the generated graphics objects and symbols, the image memory including management means for managing the graphics primitives and graphics objects corresponding to each symbol;

means for a user to select a subset of the symbols displayed in a first window; and

display means for displaying the graphics objects and symbols, wherein the symbols corresponding to graphics objects are displayed in the first window and the graphics objects corresponding to the selected subset of the symbols are displayed in a second window with a number of the selected subset of symbols being substituted for corresponding graphics objects according to user input threshold value provided to the management means.

2. The graphics display system of claim 1 wherein the display means displays graphics objects in the second window that correspond to a subset of the symbols displayed in the first window.

3. The graphics display system of claim 2 wherein the user zooms onto selected graphics objects or corresponding symbols in the second window.

4. A data processing system comprising:

a main processor for processing data;

an input device for receiving user input;

a graphics processor, coupled to the main processor, for generating graphics objects from a plurality of graphics primitives and for generating symbols, each symbol corresponding to at least one of said generated graphics objects;

image memory for storing the generated graphics objects and symbols, the image memory including management means for managing the graphics primitives and graphics objects corresponding to each symbol;

means for a user to select a subset of the symbols displayed in a first window; and

display means for displaying the graphics objects and symbols, wherein the symbols corresponding to graphics objects are displayed in the first window and the graphics objects corresponding to the selected subset of the symbols are displayed in a second window with a number of the selected subset of symbols being substituted for corresponding graphics objects according to user input threshold value provided to the management means through the input device.

5. The data processing system of claim 4 wherein the display means displays graphics objects in the second window that correspond to a subset of the symbols displayed in the first window.

6. The data processing system of claim 4 wherein the user zooms onto selected graphics objects or corresponding symbols in the second window.

7. A method for displaying graphical information comprising the steps of:

generating graphics objects with a graphics processor from a plurality of graphics primitives and for generating symbols, each symbol corresponding to at least one of said generated graphics objects;

storing in an image memory the generated graphics objects and symbols, the image memory including management means for managing the graphics primitives and graphics objects corresponding to each symbol;

selecting by a user a subset of the symbols displayed in a first window; and

displaying on a display means the graphics objects and symbols, wherein the symbols corresponding to graphics objects are displayed in the first window and the graphics objects corresponding to the selected subset of the symbols are displayed in a second window with a number of the selected subset of symbols being substituted for corresponding graphics objects according to user input threshold value provided to the management means.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of displaying includes displaying graphics objects in the second window that correspond to a subset of the symbols displayed in the first window.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the user zooms onto selected graphics objects or corresponding symbols in the second window.