Subset search tree integrated graphical interface

• US 6,484,190 B1
• Filed: 07/01/1998
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Martinez, Anthony Edward, Cordes, Richard Edward, Lection, David Bruce, Hall, George E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, CONG LAC T
• Application Number:
  US09/108,431
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 707/514, 707/513, 707/3-6, 707/501.1, 345/809, 345/853
• US Class Current: 715/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 Trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

An efficient and intuitive means, method and apparatus for displaying and searching information organized in a hierarchical manner. The presented method for displaying and searching information utilizes methods residing at the nodes of the hierarchically organized information.

Claims

1. A graphical method for searching a hierarchical information structure and for indicating results of said searching using a tree structure on a display device, said hierarchical information structure having more than one hierarchical level wherein each level has at least one node, said method comprising steps of:

displaying each hierarchical level of said hierarchical information structure at a different level of indentation in said tree structure on said display device, wherein subordinate levels of said hierarchical information structure are indented in said tree structure from superior levels;

displaying two or more search fields, wherein each of said displayed search fields is associated with a different one of said displayed hierarchical levels and is displayed in a presentation space adjacent to said displayed hierarchical level in said tree structure;

entering, by a user, search criteria into a selected one of said displayed search fields, wherein said selected one is associated with a particular one of said displayed hierarchical levels;

processing said entered search criteria by searching for occurrence of said entered search criteria within said hierarchical levels which are subordinate to said particular displayed hierarchical level;

displaying to said user a number of said hierarchical levels matching said entered search criteria; and

displaying to said user only said hierarchical levels matching said entered search criteria.

2. The graphical method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a visual metaphor connects each of said displayed hierarchical levels, wherein said visual metaphor has a means for expanding a visual representation of said subordinate levels to show the hierarchical levels contained therein and for collapsing the visual representation of said subordinate levels so that the hierarchical levels contained therein are not displayed to said user.

3. A graphical method for searching a hierarchical information structure and for indicating results of said searching using a tree structure on a display device, said hierarchical information structure having more than one hierarchical level wherein each level has at least one node, said method comprising steps of:

displaying each hierarchical level of said hierarchical information structure at a different level of indentation in said tree structure on said display device, wherein subordinate levels of said hierarchical information structure are indented in said tree structure from superior levels;

displaying an indicator associated with each of one or more of said displayed hierarchical levels, said indicator informing a user if there is information which is not being displayed in the hierarchical level subordinate to the level with which the indicator is associated;

displaying a search entry field, responsive to the user placing a pointing device on a selected indicator;

accepting search criteria from said user in said displayed search entry field;

performing a search using the accepted search criteria by searching for occurrence of said accepted search criteria within said hierarchical levels which are subordinate to the displayed hierarchical level with which said selected indicator is associated; and

displaying the subordinate hierarchical levels matching the accepted search criteria.

4. A system having a graphical means for searching a hierarchical information structure and for indicating results of said searching using a tree structure on a display device, said hierarchical information structure having more than one hierarchical level wherein each level has at least one node, said system comprising:

a display device;

an input device;

means for displaying each hierarchical level of said hierarchical information structure at a different level of indentation in said tree structure on said display device, wherein subordinate levels of said hierarchical information structure are indented in said tree structure from superior levels;

means for displaying two or more search fields, wherein each of said displayed search fields is associated with a different one of said displayed hierarchical levels and is displayed in a presentation space adjacent to said displayed hierarchical level in said tree structure;

means for entering, by a user, search criteria into a selected one of said displayed search fields, wherein said selected one is associated with a particular one of said displayed hierarchical levels;

means for processing said entered search criteria by searching for occurrence of said entered search criteria within said hierarchical levels which are subordinate to said particular displayed hierarchical level;

means for displaying to said user a number of said hierarchical levels matching said entered search criteria; and

means for displaying to said user only said hierarchical levels matching said entered search criteria.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein a visual metaphor connects each of said displayed hierarchical levels, wherein said visual metaphor has a means for expanding a visual representation of said subordinate levels to show the hierarchical levels contained therein and for collapsing the visual representation of said subordinate levels so that the hierarchical levels contained therein are not displayed to said user.

6. A system having a graphical means for searching a hierarchical information structure and for indicating results of said searching using a tree structure on a display device, said hierarchical information structure having more than one hierarchical level wherein each level has at least one node, said system comprising:

means for displaying each hierarchical level of said hierarchical information structure at a different level of indentation in said tree structure on said display device, wherein subordinate levels of said hierarchical information structure are indented in said tree structure from superior levels;

means for displaying an indicator associated with each of one or more of said displayed hierarchical levels, said indicator informing a user if there is information which is not being displayed in the hierarchical level subordinate to the level with which the indicator is associated;

means for displaying a search entry field, responsive to the user placing a pointing device on a selected indicator;

means for accepting search criteria from said user in said displayed search entry field;

means for performing a search using the accepted search criteria by searching for occurrence of said accepted search criteria within said hierarchical levels which are subordinate to the displayed hierarchical level with which said selected indicator is associated; and

means for displaying the subordinate hierarchical levels matching the accepted search criteria.

7. Computer readable program code having a graphical means for searching a hierarchical information structure and for indicating results of said searching using a tree structure on a display device, said hierarchical information structure having more than one hierarchical level wherein each level has at least one node, comprising:

computer readable program code means for displaying each hierarchical level of said hierarchical information structure at a different level of indentation in said tree structure on said display device, wherein subordinate levels of said hierarchical information structure are indented in said tree structure from superior levels;

computer readable program code means for displaying two or more search fields, wherein each of said displayed search fields is associated with a different one of said displayed hierarchical levels and is displayed in a presentation space adjacent to said displayed hierarchical level in said tree structure;

computer readable program code means for entering, by a user, search criteria into a selected one of said displayed search fields, wherein said selected one is associated with a particular one of said displayed hierarchical levels;

computer readable program code means for processing said entered search criteria by searching for occurrence of said entered search criteria within said hierarchical levels which are subordinate to said particular displayed hierarchical level;

computer readable program code means for displaying to said user a number of said hierarchical levels matching said entered search criteria; and

computer readable program code means for displaying to said user only said hierarchical levels matching said entered search criteria.

8. Computer readable program code as claimed in claim 7, wherein a visual metaphor connects each of said displayed hierarchical levels, wherein said visual metaphor has a means for expanding a visual representation of said subordinate levels to show the hierarchical levels contained therein and for collapsing the visual representation of said subordinate levels so that the hierarchical levels contained therein are not displayed to said user.

9. A graphical method of searching a hierarchical information structure and representing results of the searching, comprising steps of:

displaying two or more hierarchical levels of the hierarchical information structure on a display device;

displaying at least two search fields on the display device, wherein each displayed search field is associated with a particular one of the displayed hierarchical levels;

entering, by a user, a search term into a selected one of the displayed search fields, wherein the entered search term specifies a plurality of values, wherein the plurality of values is to be used for searching a corresponding plurality of hierarchically-adjacent levels which are subordinate to the particular one of the displayed hierarchical levels with which the selected search field is associated;

processing the entered search term by successively refining a search for occurrence of the specified plurality of values, wherein the successively refining starts from a top-most one of the hierarchically-adjacent levels and continues downward toward a bottom-most one of the hierarchically adjacent levels, wherein the top-most one is the hierarchical level which is subordinate to the particular one of the displayed hierarchical levels with which the selected search field is associated; and

displaying to the user the hierarchically-adjacent subordinate levels which are located by the processing step.

10. A system for searching a hierarchical information structure and representing results of the searching, comprising:

means for displaying two or more hierarchical levels of the hierarchical information structure on a display device;

means for displaying at least two search fields on the display device, wherein each displayed search field is associated with a particular one of the displayed hierarchical levels;

means for entering, by a user, a search term into a selected one of the displayed search fields, wherein the entered search term specifies a plurality of values, wherein the plurality of values is to be used for searching a corresponding plurality of hierarchically-adjacent levels which are subordinate to the particular one of the displayed hierarchical levels with which the selected search field is associated;

means for processing the entered search term by successively refining a search for occurrence of the specified plurality of values, wherein the successively refining starts from a top-most one of the hierarchically-adjacent levels and continues downward toward a bottom-most one of the hierarchically adjacent levels, wherein the top-most one is the hierarchical level which is subordinate to the particular one of the displayed hierarchical levels with which the selected search field is associated; and

means for displaying to the user the hierarchically-adjacent subordinate levels which are located by the means for processing.

11. Computer readable program code for searching a hierarchical information structure and representing results of the searching, comprising:

computer readable program code means for displaying two or more hierarchical levels of the hierarchical information structure on a display device;

computer readable program code means for displaying at least two search fields on the display device, wherein each displayed search field is associated with a particular one of the displayed hierarchical levels;

computer readable program code means for entering, by a user, a search term into a selected one of the displayed search fields, wherein the entered search term specifies a plurality of values, wherein the plurality of values is to be used for searching a corresponding plurality of hierarchically-adjacent levels which are subordinate to the particular one of the displayed hierarchical levels with which the selected search field is associated;

computer readable program code means for processing the entered search term by successively refining a search for occurrence of the specified plurality of values, wherein the successively refining starts from a top-most one of the hierarchically-adjacent levels and continues downward toward a bottom-most one of the hierarchically adjacent levels, wherein the top-most one is the hierarchical level which is subordinate to the particular one of the displayed hierarchical levels with which the selected search field is associated; and

computer readable program code means for displaying to the user the hierarchically-adjacent subordinate levels which are located by the computer readable program code means for processing.