Method and device for visualizing on a two-dimensional screen a hierarchical information structure based on nodes interconnected by edges, through fisheyed representation of nodes

• US 6,057,843 A
• Filed: 04/14/1998
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Schoonen, Jaco W., Peeters, Erik A. J., Van Overveld, Cornelis W. A. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US09/060,084
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 345/333, 345/339, 345/353, 345/355, 345/356, 345/357
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

For visualizing on a two-dimensional screen a hierarchical information structure that is based on nodes interconnected by edges, first an actual root node is selected. The root node is visualized on the screen as a fisheyed representation of a root node block. Downstepping will at one or more next-lower hierarchical levels select a descendant node of the actual root node for display. At each downstepping the representation is divided along alternatingly at least a first and a second coordinate direction into lower level visual slices, of which the selected descendant is placed in a central part of the fisheye. Finally, access is allowed to at least one node of the graph whose image is displayed within the actual fisheye.

Claims

1. A method for visualizing on a two-dimensional screen a hierarchical information structure which is based on nodes that are interconnected by edges, said method being characterized by the steps of:

selecting an actual root node, and visualizing the root node on the screen as a fisheyed representation of a root node block,

through downstepping selectably displaying at one or more next-lower hierarchical levels a descendant node of said actual root node, whilst at each downstepping dividing said representation along alternatingly at least a first and a second coordinate direction into lower level visual slices, of which said selected descendant is placed in a central part of the fisheye, and allowing to access at least a central node of the actual fisheye.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, using at least three coordinate directions.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, and providing a size warp mechanism among a plurality of visual slices that are located on a single hierarchical level, and descend from a common origin node on a higher level.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, for use in a tree network.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, and allowing multi-level downstepping in said hierarchic information structure.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, and allowing reversible stepping between hierarchically different levels in said information structure.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, and having a root selection mechanism for selectively designating a particular node as actual root node.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fisheye is unsymmetric with respect to physical edges of said screen.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, and providing an option to selectively and temporarily remove a node that would obscure a particular other node.

10. A device arranged for executing a method as claimed in claim 1.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central part of the fisheye is subject to a first magnification factor.