Method and apparatus for displaying and navigating a graph

• US 6,285,367 B1
• Filed: 05/26/1998
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wright, James L., Oppenheim, Daniel V., Pazel, Donald P., Abrams, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M.
• Application Number:
  US09/084,060
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440, 345/133, 345/353, 345/356, 345/357, 345/118, 345/332, 345/340, 345/342, 345/343, 345/346, 345/352, 345/354
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

Data is graphically displayed using a set of successive outer sectors of a geometrical shape, such as nested concentric circles, in order to provide easy navigation through related data items. Successive outer portions may be partitioned into sectors and are related to the adjacent inner more sector of the graphical representation. The outer sectors may be dynamic or static in nature. When a user selects an outer sector, that outer sector appropriately regenerates to become the new focus (or center) of the graphical representation and successive outer sectors related to the new focus are generated in order to easily navigate through the nodes of the present invention. If the outer sectors were already displayed, those outer sectors become redisplayed to inner more sectors. The non selected nodes of the same level of the selected node and those nodes related to the non selected nodes are no longer graphically represented when the new outer sectors are generated and previous outer sectors are redisplayed to new inner sectors.

Claims

1. A method for navigating a graph of data items in a graphical format on a visual display comprising the steps of:

representing a first current data item in a central portion of said visual display; and

representing at least one additional data item related to the first current data item in an outer portion of said visual display surrounding the central portion of the visual display, where the outer portion shows optional paths for navigating the graph from the first current data item;

selecting the outer portion, wherein the first outer portion represents only one additional data item;

displaying the selected outer portion as a new central portion, the one additional data item represented by the selected outer portion being a new first current data item represented by the new central portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the central portion and the outer portion are represented by indicia selected from the group consisting of alphanumerics, symbols, colors, graphical images and audio information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

providing one of a visual and an audio display indicating the selection of the outer portion.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of

representing at least one additional data item related to the new first current data item in a new outer portion surrounding the new central portion of the visual display, where the new outer portion shows optional paths for navigating the graph from the new first current data item.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of displaying the new central portion and the new outer portion surrounding the new central portion in a nested geometric shape on a display.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of partitioning the new outer portion surrounding the new central portion into new outer portion sectors, if the new outer portion represents more than one data item, each new outer portion sector being associated with a corresponding data item represented by the new outer portion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the central portion and the outer portion reflect graph arc relationships between the first current data item and the at least one additional data item represented by the outer portion and the graph arc relationships represent qualitative measure between the first current data item and the at least one additional data item represented by the outer portion.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first current data item is also represented by the outer portion as one of the at least one additional data item, thereby forming a representation of a cyclical graph.

9. A method for navigating a graph of data items in a graphical format on a visual display, comprising the steps of:

representing a first current data item in a central portion of said visual display; and

representing at least one additional data item related to the first current data item in an outer portion of said visual display surrounding the central portion of the visual display, where the outer portion shows optional paths for navigating the graph from the first current data item;

representing successive data items related to the at least one additional data item in successive outer portions surrounding the central portion of the visual display,

where the successive outer portions show additional optional paths for navigating the graph from a data item represented in an outer portion,

wherein a data item represented in a first successive outer portion is related to the first current data item,

wherein a data item represented in a second successive outer portion is related to at least one data item represented in the first successive outer portion, and

wherein each data item represented in further successive outer portions is related to at least one data item represented in an immediate adjacent inner successive outer portion;

partitioning each of the successive outer portions into successive outer sectors if a successive outer portion represents more than one data item, but if the successive outer portion represents only one data item, then the partitioned successive outer sector being equivalent to the successive outer portion, wherein each of the successive outer sectors is associated with a corresponding data item represented by the successive outer portions;

selecting one of the successive outer sectors;

displaying the selected successive outer sector as a new central portion, wherein the new central portion represents a new first current data item;

representing successive data items related to the new first current data item in new successive outer portions surrounding the new central portion of the visual display,

where the new successive outer portions show additional optional paths for navigating the graph from a data item represented in a new successive outer portion,

wherein a data item represented in a first new successive outer portion is related to the new first current data item,

wherein a data item represented in a second successive outer portion is related to at least one data item represented in the new first successive outer portion, and

wherein data items represented in further new successive outer portions are related to at least one data item represented in an immediate adjacent inner new successive outer portion;

redisplaying the new successive outer portions surrounding the new central portion;

partitioning each of the redisplayed new successive outer portions into new successive sectors if a redisplayed new successive outer portion represents more than one data item, but the redisplayed new successive outer portion represents only one data item, then the partitioned new successive outer sectors being equivalent to the new successive outer portions, wherein each of the new successive outer sectors is associated with a corresponding data item represented by the new successive outer portions;

redisplaying the new successive outer sectors of the redisplayed new successive outer portions.

10. A method for navigating a graph of data items in a graphical format on a visual display, comprising the steps of:

representing a first current data item in a central portion of said visual display; and

representing at least one additional data item related to the first current data item in an outer portion of said visual display surrounding the central portion of the visual display, where the outer portion shows optional paths for navigating the graph from the first current data item;

partitioning the outer portion surrounding the central portion into outer sectors, if the outer portion representing more than one data item, and if the outer portion represents only one data item, then the partitioned outer sector being equivalent to the outer portion, wherein each outer sector is associated with a corresponding data item represented by the outer portion;

selecting an outer sector of the outer portion the corresponding data item of the selected outer sector being a new first current data item in a new central portion of the visual display; and

representing at least one additional data item related to the corresponding data item of the selected outer sector in a new outer portion of the visual display surrounding the new central portion,

wherein data items represented by the central portion, the outer portion and the new outer portion are related harmonic chords.

11. The method of claim 10,

wherein each of the outer sectors represent one of a strong relation and a weak relation between related data items represented by the central portion and the outer sectors.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of

providing one of a visual and an audio display indicating the selection of the outer sector.

13. A data processing system for navigating a graph of data items in a graphical format on a display, comprising:

central portion means for displaying a central portion representing a first current data item; and

outer portion surrounding means for displaying at least one outer portion surrounding the central portion of the visual display, a first outer portion representing at least one data item related to the first current data item, and successive outer portions representing at least one data item related to at least one data item represented by an inner adjacent outer portion, the central portion and the at least one surrounding outer portion forming an outwardly nested geometrical shape, wherein each of the at least one outer portion shows optional paths for navigating the graph from the first current portion;

selecting means for selecting the at least one outer portion relating to the central portion;

selective displaying means for no longer displaying the central portion in response to the selecting means selecting the at least one outer portion; and

redisplaying means for redisplaying the selected at least one outer portion as a new central portion representing a new first current data item in response to the selecting means selecting the at least one outer portion.

14. The data processing system of claim 13,

wherein the nested geometrical shape is one of outward nested concentric circles and outward nested squares.

15. The data processing system of claim 13,

wherein the data items represented by the central portion and the at least one surrounding outer portion are represented by indicia selected from the group consisting of letters, numerals, alphanumerics, visual images, colors and audio sounds.

16. The data processing system of claim 13,

wherein the selecting means includes a mouse, a track ball or a voice activation device.

17. The data processing system of claim 13,

wherein selectively displaying the selected portion includes at least highlighting, coloring, darkening borders, audio sounds and blinking the selected portion.

18. The data processing system of claim 13, further comprising:

generating means for generating a new outer portion surrounding the new central portion in response to the redisplaying means redisplaying the new central portion, the new outer portion representing at least one data item related to the new first current data item.

19. The data processing system of claim 18,

wherein the selective displaying means in response to the selecting means selecting the at least one outer portion no longer displays:

the central portion;

inner more outer sectors with respect to the selected successive outer sector;

non selected outer sectors of a same level of the selected successive outer sector; and

outer sectors related to the non selected successive outer sectors.

20. The data processing system of claim 13,

wherein the redisplaying means further redisplays the at least one outer portion as inner more portions positioned at an outer portion with respect to the new central portion in response to the redisplaying means redisplaying the new central portion.

21. A method of indicating to a user a current portion or portions of graph information within a presentation space, wherein the graph information comprises data items and relationships among the data items, the data items being graph nodes and the relationships among the data items being graph arcs between corresponding nodes, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a central portion representing a first a current data item of the information graph data;

displaying at least one concentric nested shape surrounding the central portion, the at least one concentric nested shape partitioned into sectors where each sector reflects an arc relationship of the information graph data, wherein the at least one concentric nested shape surrounding the central portion shows optional paths for navigating the graph from the first current data item;

displaying within each sector at least one indicia for indicating a graph node of interest;

selecting a graph node; and

rendering and displaying a new central portion identified with the selected graph node representing a new first current data item.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

displaying new at least one concentric nested shape surrounding the new central portion, the new at least one concentric nested shape partitioned into new sectors where each new sector reflects an arc relationship of the information graph data, wherein the new at least one concentric nested shape surrounding the new central portion shows optional paths for navigating the graph from the new first current data item; and

displaying within each new sector at least one indicia for indicating a graph node of interest.

23. A method for navigating a graph of data items in a graphical format on a visual display, comprising the steps of:

representing a first current data item in a central portion of said visual display; and

representing at least one additional data item related to the first current data item in an outer portion of said visual display surrounding the central portion of the visual display, where the outer portion shows optional paths for navigating the graph from the first current data item;

partitioning the outer portion surrounding the central portion into outer sectors, if the outer portion represents more than one data item, and if the outer portion represents only one data item, then the partitioned outer sector being equivalent to the outer portion, wherein each outer sector is associated with a corresponding data item represented by the outer portion;

selecting an outer sector of the outer portion; and

displaying the selected outer sector as a new central portion, wherein the corresponding data item associated with the selected outer sector is a new first current data item.

24. A method for navigating a graph of data items in a graphical format on a visual display, comprising the steps of:

representing a first current data item in a central portion of said visual display; and

representing at least one additional data item related to the first current data item in an outer portion of said visual display surrounding the central portion of the visual display, where the outer portion shows optional paths for navigating the graph from the first current data item;

representing successive data items related to the at least one additional data item in successive outer portions surrounding the central portion of the visual display,

where the successive outer portions show additional optional paths for navigating the graph from a data item represented in an outer portion,

wherein a data item represented in a first successive outer portion is related to the first current data item,

wherein a data item represented in a second successive outer portion is related to at least one data item represented in the first successive outer portion, and

wherein data items represented in further successive outer portions are related to at least one data item represented in an immediate adjacent inner successive outer portion;

partitioning each of the successive outer portions into successive outer sectors if a successive outer portion represents more than one data item, but if the successive outer portion represents only one data item, then the partitioned successive outer sector being equivalent to the successive outer portion, wherein each successive outer sector is associated with a corresponding data item represented by the successive outer portion;

selecting an outer sector of one of the successive outer portions; and

displaying the selected outer sector as a new central portion, wherein the corresponding data item associated with the selected outer sector becomes a new first current data item.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of providing one of a visual and an audio display indicating the selection of the outer sector.

26. A method as recited in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

representing new successive data items related to the new first current data item in new successive outer portions surrounding the new central portion of the visual display,

where the new successive outer portions show additional optional paths for navigating the graph from a data item represented in an outer portion,

wherein a data item represented in a first new successive outer portion is related to the first current data item,

wherein a data item represented in a second new successive outer portion is related to at least one data item represented in the first new successive outer portion, and

wherein data items represented in further new successive outer portions are related to at least one data item represented in an immediate adjacent inner new successive outer portion.

27. The method of claims 26, further comprising the step of:

partitioning each of the new successive outer portions into new successive outer sectors, if the each of the new successive outer portions represents more than one data item, and if the each of the new successive outer portions represents only one data item, then the partitioned new successive outer sector being equivalent to the new successive outer portion, wherein each new successive outer sector is associated with a corresponding data item represented by the new successive outer portion.

28. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the first current data item is also represented by a successive outer portion as one of the at least one additional data item, thereby forming a representation of a cyclical graph.

29. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein a data item represented by one of the successive outer portions is also represented by another of the successive outer portions as one of the at least one additional data item, thereby forming a representation of a cyclical graph.