Method and apparatus for displaying and header scrolling a hierarchical data structure

• US 6,738,787 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stead, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veillard, Jacques
• Application Number:
  US10/108,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20020120633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/101, 707/4, 707/8, 707/102, 707/103, 345/784, 345/785, 345/786, 345/787, 345/830, 345/853, 345/854, 345/973, 345/440, 345/841
• US Class Current: 715/830
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Methods and apparatus can scroll a displayed hierarchical data structure. A hierarchical data structure can include a first parent node and a plurality of child nodes of the parent node, the plurality of subordinate nodes including a first child node and a second child node. The first parent node can be displayed in a first position of a display area. The first child node can be displayed in a second position of the display area, the second position being adjacent the first position. The second child node can be displayed in the display area. A first instruction to scroll at least the second child node in a direction toward the first position can be received, and the second child node can be displayed in the second position.

Claims

1. A method for scrolling a displayed hierarchical data structure including a first parent node and a plurality of child nodes of the first parent node, the plurality of child nodes including a first child node and a second child node, and a second parent node and at least one child node of the second parent node, the method comprising:

displaying the first parent node in a first position of a display area;

displaying the first child node of the first parent node in a second position of the display area, the second position being adjacent the first position;

displaying the second child node of the first parent node in the display area;

receiving a first instruction to scroll at least the second child node in a direction toward the first position;

displaying the second child node in the second position;

displaying a second parent node in the display area;

receiving a second instruction to scroll at least the second parent node in the direction toward the first position; and

displaying the second parent node in the first position, each parent node having a separate subordinate data descriptor displayed therewith, as well as a separate master scroll bar associated with the entire hierarchical data structure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second third instruction to scroll at least the second child node of the first parent node in the direction toward the first position;

determining that the second child node is the only child node of the first parent node displayed in the display area; and

scrolling the first parent node and the second child node off of the display area.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to display the first parent node and the second parent node without displaying the plurality of child nodes based at least in part upon a first activation of the master scroll bar; and

displaying the second parent node in the second position.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to display the first parent node and the second parent node with a display of the plurality of subordinate nodes based at least in part upon a second activation of the master scroll bar; and

displaying the first child node of the first parent node in the second position.

5. An apparatus to scroll a displayed hierarchical data structure including a first parent node and a plurality of child nodes of the first parent node, the plurality of child nodes including a first child node and a second child node, and a second parent node and at least one child node of the second parent node, the apparatus comprising

a. a processor;

and

b. a memory, coupled to said processor, storing a plurality of instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to

display the first parent node in a first position of a display area,

display the first child node of the first parent node in a second position of the display area, the second position being adjacent the first position,

display the second child node of the first parent node in the display area,

receive a first instruction to scroll at least the second child node in a direction toward the first position,

display the second child node in the second position,

display a second parent node in the display area;

receive a second instruction to scroll at least the second parent node in the direction toward the first position; and

display the second parent node in the first position, each parent node having a separate subordinate data descriptor displayed therewith, as well as a separate master scroll bar associated with the entire hierarchical data structure.

6. A computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to scroll a displayed hierarchical data structure including a first parent node and a plurality of child nodes of the first parent node, the plurality of child nodes including a first child node and a second child node, and a second parent node and at least one child node of the second parent node, the plurality of instructions comprising instructions to:

display the first parent node in a first position of a display area,

display the first child node of the first parent node in a second position of the display area, the second position being adjacent the first position,

display the second child node of the first parent node in the display area,

receive a first instruction to scroll at least the second child node in a direction toward the first position,

display the second child node in the second position,

display a second parent node in the display area;

receive a second instruction to scroll at least the second parent node in the direction toward the first position; and

display the second parent node in the first position, each parent node having a separate subordinate data descriptor displayed therewith, as well as a separate master scroll bar associated with the entire hierarchical data structure.