Information display apparatus and methods

• US 5,644,692 A
• Filed: 12/20/1994
• Issued: 07/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Eick, Stephen Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fetting, Anton W.
• Application Number:
  US08/360,181
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 395/12, 395/62, 395/64, 395/147, 395/155, 395/156, 345/140, 345/152
• US Class Current: 715/833
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/75 Structural analysis for program understanding

Abstract

Apparatus for displaying information about a very large number of entities. The apparatus includes very small entity representations which represent the entities. The entity representations are contained in columns which represent contexts for the entities. In one embodiment of the apparatus, the entities are lines of text and the contexts are files containing the lines. Also included is a selector with a set of colored fields corresponding to values of attributes of the entities. When either an entity representation or a selector field is activated by means of a pointing device, the selector field and all of the entity representations for entities having the attribute value corresponding to the selector field are turned on and appear in the same color. The pointing device may also be used to specify an entity representation for detailed viewing. In response to this operation, a code viewer opens which displays detailed information about the entity corresponding to the specified entity representation. The apparatus may display values from different attribute types and may turn on an entity representation in response to a set of attribute values having different types. There are further animated display modes and techniques for remapping colors onto the selector fields. Applications of the apparatus include testing and maintenance of software and selection of programs in interactive TV systems.

Claims

1. Apparatus implemented in a system having processing means and a display controlled by the processing means for displaying information about a plurality of entities comprising lines of one or more texts, the entities having associated attribute values and the apparatus comprising:

items in the display including

context representation means (205) for visually representing a context of the entities;

for each entity, individual entity representation means (207) contained in the context representation means for visually representing the entity, a plurality of the entity representation means being simultaneously present in the display and each entity representation means having a size such that at least five thousand of the entity representation means may be simultaneously displayed in a display with a 19 inch diagonal measurement;

a plurality of individual value representation means distinct from the context representation means, (303) the individual value representation means being simultaneously present in the display and each one of the value representation means visually representing an attribute value; and

pointing means (103) for selecting a displayed item in response to a user input to the system; and

responding means in the processing means responsive to a first kind of selection of a value representation means by the pointing means by altering the appearance in the display of any entity representation means itself whose corresponding entity is associated with the value represented by the selected value representation means to a first appearance, the first appearance indicating selection of the entity representation means.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the first appearance is associated with the value selected in the first selection.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein:

the responding means further alters the appearance of the value representation means selected in the first selection to a second appearance, the second appearance indicating selection.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein:

the first appearance and the second appearance are substantially the same.

5. The apparatus set forth in any of claims 3 through 4 wherein:

the first appearance and the second appearance are colors of the entity representative means and/or the value representation means.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein:

the colors are shades in a gray scale.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 5 further comprising:

color changing means responsive to the pointing means for changing the relationship between a color and an attribute value.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein:

the pointing means selects a subset of the value representation means and

the color changing means responds thereto by mapping the value representations belonging to the subset onto a range of colors.

9. The apparatus set forth in any of claims 3 through 4 wherein:

the responding means further responds to a kind of second selection of a value representation means by the pointing means by altering the appearance in the display of entity representation means whose corresponding entity is associated with the value represented by the selected value representation means to a third appearance, the third appearance indicating deselection.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein:

the responding means further alters the appearance of the value representation means selected in the second selection to a fourth appearance, the fourth appearance indicating deselection.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein:

the third appearance and the fourth appearance are substantially the same.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the value representation means are arranged in the display in a non-random order which corresponds to a non-random order of the attribute values.

13. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 wherein the items further comprise:

selector means in which the value representation means are contained.

14. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 wherein:

the value representation means are arranged contiguously in the selector means.

15. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 wherein:

the selector means is bar-shaped.

16. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein the items in the display further comprise:

detailed viewing means including

entity representation specification means for visually specifying an entity representation; and

detailed display means for displaying detailed information about at least the entity corresponding to the specified entity representation.

17. The apparatus set forth in claim 16 wherein:

the detailed display means displays at least the entity represented by the specified entity representation.

18. The apparatus set forth in claim 16 or 17 wherein:

there is a plurality of the detailed viewing means; and

the apparatus further includes means for attaching one of the detailed viewing means to the pointing means such that the detailed viewing means displays detailed information about the entity representation currently specified by the pointing means.

19. The apparatus set forth in claim 18 wherein:

the apparatus further includes means for detaching the one detailed viewing means from the pointing means.

20. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the context representation means are bar-shaped.

21. The apparatus set forth in claim 20 wherein:

each entity representation means is a line one pixel in width.

22. The apparatus set forth in claim 21 wherein:

the length of the entity representation means in the first appearance represents a property of the entity.

23. The apparatus set forth in claim 22 wherein:

the entity is a line of text and

the length of the entity representation means in the first appearance is proportional to the length of the line of text which the entity representation means represents.

24. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the shape of the entity representation means in the first appearance represents a property of the entity.

25. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the appearance of the value representation means indicates further information about the attribute value represented by the value representation means.

26. The apparatus set forth in claim 25 wherein:

each attribute value representation means has a fixed area which it may occupy and the amount of the fixed area occupied by the attribute value representation means indicates a relationship between the attribute value represented by the attribute value representation means and an attribute value represented by another attribute value representation means.

27. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the responding means further responds to a selection of an entity representation means by altering the appearance of the selected entity representation means to the first appearance and altering the appearance of the value representation means representing the value associated with the selected entity representation means to a second appearance indicating selection of the value representation means.

28. The apparatus set forth in claim 27 wherein:

the second appearance further indicates the value.

29. The apparatus set forth in claim 28 wherein:

the first appearance and the second appearance are substantially the same.

30. The apparatus set forth in claim 27 wherein:

the responding means further responds to the selection of the entity representation means by altering the appearance of other entity representation means when those entity representation means are associated with the same attribute value as the selected entity representation means to the first appearance.

31. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the texts are files containing error log messages; and

the attribute values associated with the lines are values indicating the kind of error log message to which each line belongs.

32. The apparatus set forth in claim 31 wherein:

the context representation means represents periods of time; and

the line representations appear in the context representation means for the period of time at which the error message to which the line belongs occurred.

41. The apparatus set forth in any of claims 1, 33, or 37 wherein:

each attribute value belongs to one of a plurality of attribute types,

the items in the display further comprise;

foreground attribute type selection means responsive to the pointing means for selecting one of the attribute types as a foreground attribute type; and

the responding means further responds to the selection of the one attribute type by displaying value representation means as required for the one attribute type.

42. The apparatus set forth in claim 41 further comprising:

background attribute type selection means responsive to the pointing means for selecting at least one attribute type which is not presently selected as a foreground attribute type as a background attribute type;

and wherein;

the responding means further alters the appearance of an entity representation for an entity whose attribute value corresponds to the selected value representation means in response not only to the selection of the value representation means by the pointing means but also in response to the value associated with the represented entity in the background attribute type.

43. The apparatus set forth in any of claims 1, 33, or 37 further comprising:

animation means responsive to the pointing means for automatically selecting each of the value representation means in turn according to a predetermined order

and wherein

the responding means responds to selection of the value representation means by the animation means in the same fashion as to selection of the value representation means by the pointing means.

44. The apparatus set forth in claim 43 further comprising:

animation speed selecting means responsive to the pointing means for specifying a speed at which the animation means selects each of the value representation means in turn,

and wherein

the animation means responds to the animation speed selection means by automatically selecting each of the value representation means at the speed specified by the animation speed selection means.

45. The apparatus set forth in claim 43 wherein:

the animation means selects the value representation means according to a first mode in which the currently-selected value representation means is deselected before the next-selected value representation means is selected and a second mode in which the currently-selected value representation means remains selected when the next-selected value representation means is selected.

46. The apparatus set forth in any of claims 1, 33, or 37 wherein:

the context representation means represent the texts.

47. The apparatus set forth in claim 46 wherein:

the texts are files containing program source code.

48. The apparatus set forth in claim 47 wherein:

the attribute values associated with the lines are values from a code history data base associated with the source code.

49. The apparatus set forth in claim 47 wherein:

the attribute values associated with the lines are values indicating whether the lines were executed by a test.

50. The apparatus set forth in claim 47 wherein:

the attribute values associated with the lines are values indicating how many times the lines were executed by a test.

51. The apparatus set forth in any of claims 1, 33, or 37 wherein:

temporary selection of a value representation means or an entity representation means occurs when the pointing means touches the value representation means or the entity representation means and lasts as long as the pointing means touches the value representation means or the entity representation means.

52. The apparatus set forth in any of claims 1, 33, or 37 wherein:

permanent selection of a value representation means or an entity representation means occurs when the pointing means touches the value representation means or the entity representation means and the user indicates permanent selection and lasts until the user indicates the end of the permanent selection.

33. Apparatus implemented in a system including processing means and a display controlled by the processing means for displaying information about a plurality of entities comprising lines of one or more texts, the entities having associated attribute values and the apparatus having items in a display, the apparatus comprising:

items in the display including

context representation means (205) for visually representing a context of the entities;

for each individual entity, individual entity representation means (207) contained in the context representation means for visually representing the entity, a plurality of the entity representation means being simultaneously present in the display;

selector means (219) distinct from the context representation means which contains a plurality of individual value representation means, (303) each one of the value representation means visually representing an attribute value, the value representation means being simultaneously present in the display, and the value representation means being substantially contiguous to each other in the selector means and being ordered according to an order of the attribute values; and

pointing means (103) for selecting a displayed item;

in response to a user input to the system; and

responding means in the processing means responsive to a selection of a value representation means by the pointing means by altering the appearance in the display of any entity representation means itself whose corresponding entity is associated with the value represented by the selected value representation means to an appearance indicating selection.

34. The apparatus set forth in claim 33 wherein:

the appearance of the value representation means indicates information about the attribute value represented by the value representation means.

35. The apparatus set forth in claim 34 wherein:

each attribute value representation means has a fixed area which it may occupy and the amount of the fixed area occupied by the attribute value representation means indicates a relationship between the attribute value represented by the attribute value representation means and an attribute value represented by another attribute value representation means.

36. The apparatus set forth in any of claims 33 through 35 wherein:

the selector means is bar-shaped and each value representation means is a section of the bar.

38. The apparatus set forth in claim 35 wherein:

the second appearance further indicates the value.

39. The apparatus set forth in claim 36 wherein:

the first appearance and the second appearance are substantially the same.

37. Apparatus implemented in a system including processing means and a display controlled by the processing means for displaying information about a plurality of entities comprising lines of one or more texts, the entities having associated attribute values and the apparatus comprising:

items in the display including

context representation means (205) for visually representing a context of the entities;

for each individual entity, individual entity representation means (207) contained in the context representation means for visually representing the entity, a plurality of the entity representation means being simultaneously present in the display;

a plurality of individual value representation means which are simultaneously present in the display and distinguished from the context representation means, (303) each one of the value representation means visually representing an attribute value; and

pointing means (103) for selecting a displayed item; and

responding means in the processing means responsive to a selection of a value representation means by the pointing means by altering the appearance in the display of the selected value representation means and of entity representation means whose corresponding entities are associated with the value represented by the selected value representation means to a first appearance, the first appearance indicating selection and the value and responding to a selection of an entity representation means by altering the appearance of the selected entity representation means itself to the first appearance and altering the appearance of the value representation means itself to a second appearance, the second appearance indicating selection.

40. The apparatus set forth in claim 37 wherein:

the responding means further responds to the selection of the entity representation means by altering the appearance of every other entity representation means which is associated with the same attribute value as the selected entity representation means to the first appearance.

53. Information display apparatus implemented in a system including processing means and a display controlled by the processing means for making a graphical display on the display of information about a plurality of entities comprising lines of one or more texts, the information display apparatus comprising:

a plurality of distinct individual entity representations which are simultaneously present on the display, each entity representation corresponding to one of the entities;

value relating means which is an area on the display, the value relating means relating values belonging to a set of values of the information to a plurality of visual characteristics, the visual characteristics being simultaneously present in the value relating means and each visual characteristic being displayed in a distinct predetermined portion of the value relating means;

selecting means in the display for interactively selecting either an entity representation or a visual characteristic; and

responding means in the processing means responsive to the selecting means for causing any entity representation for an entity having a value corresponding to a selected visual characteristic to be displayed with the visual characteristic in response to selection of the visual characteristic in the value relating means and causing the visual characteristic in the value relating means to be displayed in response to a selection of any entity representation for an entity having the value represented by the visual characteristic.

54. Apparatus for displaying information about a sequence of lines of text, some of which are indented from a margin, and for which modifications are indicated in Modification Requests, MRs, comprising:

a) a programmable digital computer and an associated visual display;

b) pointing means (103) effective to allow a user to select components contained within the display;

c) software means, running on the computer, effective to

i) show, on the display, about 5,000 graphical lines (207), each of which corresponds to one of said lines of text, such that

A) the graphical lines are stacked in columns (205), in an order corresponding to said sequence of the lines of text, and

B) amount of indentation of each graphical line within a column indicates amount of indentation of a corresponding line of text;

ii) show, on the display, a plurality of MRs, of different shades of color; and

iii) cause predetermined graphical lines to assume the color of an MR, when that MR is selected by the pointing device.

55. Apparatus according to claim 54, and further comprising:

d) means for identifying authors of lines of text, when corresponding graphical lines are selected by the pointing device.

56. Apparatus according to claim 55, and further comprising:

e) means for identifying dates of creation of selected lines of text, when corresponding graphical lines are selected by the pointing device.