Method, system and program product for viewing and manipulating graphical objects representing hierarchically arranged elements of a modeled environment

• US 7,143,100 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Gregory G., Davis, Heather, Zierath, Kevin Lee, Norvell, John Edmondson IV, Ramachandran, Vidhyaprakash, Vemulapalli, Chandra S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, CHERYL MARIA
• Application Number:
  US10/170,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20030007000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/103, 707/201, 707/101, 707/104.1, 715/804, 715/751, 715/713, 715/764, 345/419, 709/204, 709/223
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A data model of a modeled environment is maintained within a database. The data model includes data defining a plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of space within the modeled environment and data defining a plurality of items populating the modeled environment. A data processing system displays within a display device at least first and second windows. The first window displays a map of the modeled environment, where the map includes at least one user-selectable graphical element representing one of the plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of space or one of the plurality of items. In response to a first user input, a graphical element is copied from the first window and displayed within the second window. In response to a second user input selecting the graphical element within the second window, data from the database associated with the subset of space or item represented by the graphical element is presented.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of processing modeled data, comprising:

accessing a data model of a modeled environment within a database, said data model including data defining a plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of a data-defined space within the modeled environment, the model further including data defining a plurality of items populating the modeled environment;

displaying, within a display device of a data processing system, a first window displaying a map of the modeled environment, said map including at least one user-selectable graphical element operatively associated with said model and further representing one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space or one of said plurality of items;

displaying within the display device a second window;

in response to a first user input, copying said graphical element from said first window and displaying said graphical element within the second window;

in response to a second user input selecting said graphical element within said second window, presenting data from said database associated with said one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space or item represented by said graphical element; and

displaying within the display device a whiteboard window to display features of the modeled environment by receiving said at least one user-selectable graphical element in response to a third user input, said whiteboard window further receiving one or more characteristics related to said at least one user selectable graphical element, said whiteboard window for manipulating said at least one user-selectable graphical element according to said one or more characteristics, where said at least one user-selectable graphical element is associated with said one or more characteristics and with data defining said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data defined space, and where said at least one user-selectable graphical element is used in processing the modeled data, where results of said processing are displayed within the display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said copying comprises copying said graphical element utilizing a drag-and-drop technique.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said graphical element has associated location data; and

said method further comprises panning said first window to a view of said map corresponding to said associated location data in response to the user placing said graphical element within said first window.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of presenting data comprises presenting a graphical representation of a next lower hierarchical level of said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said graphical element.

5. The method of claim 4, and further comprising in response to a fourth user input selecting said graphical element within said second window, presenting data associated with a current level of said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said graphical element.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said graphical element represents one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space or one of said plurality of items.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data model comprises real time data, said method further comprising automatically updating said first window and said second window in response to a change in said data model.

8. The method of claim 1, and further comprising concurrently displaying within said second window a collection of multiple graphical elements that each represent a respective user-selected subset of said data-defined space within the modeled environment, wherein each of the user-selected subsets is at a same hierarchical level of the modeled environment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said characteristics include one of chronological time for said at least one user selectable graphical element, an underlying data element related to said at least one user selectable graphical element, a logical connection related to said at least one user selectable graphical element, a function related to said at least one user selectable graphical element, a geographical coordinate related to said at least one user selectable graphical element, an address for said at least one user selectable graphical element, a permission for said at least one user selectable graphical element, or a preference for said at least one user selectable graphical element.

10. A computer-implemented method of processing modeled data, comprising:

accessing a data model of a modeled environment from a database, said data model including data defining a plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of a data-defined space within the modeled environment and data defining a plurality of items populating the modeled environment;

displaying, within a display device of a data processing system, a first window including a plurality of user-selectable graphical elements that each represent a respective one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space within the modeled environment;

displaying within the display device a second window;

in response to a first user input selecting a particular one of the plurality of user-selectable graphical elements from said first window that represents a particular subset of said data-defined space within said modeled environment, displaying within the second window one or more graphical representations of items populating said modeled environment that are all at a same hierarchical level and are all defined by said database as having a logical connection within said particular subset of said data-defined space; and

displaying within the display device a whiteboard window to display features of the modeled environment by receiving said particular one of the plurality of user-selectable graphical elements in response to a second user input, said whiteboard window further receiving one or more characteristics related to said particular one of the plurality of user-selectable graphical elements, said whiteboard window for manipulating said particular one of the plurality of user-selectable graphical elements according to said one or more characteristics, where said particular one of said plurality of user-selectable graphical elements is associated with said one or more characteristics and with data defining said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space, and where said particular one of said plurality of user-selectable graphical elements is used in processing the modeled data, where results of said processing are displayed within the display device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein displaying the first window comprises displaying a first window within which a map of the modeled environment is presented, wherein said plurality of user-selectable graphical elements are each displayed at a respective one of a plurality of locations within the map.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said user input selecting the particular graphical element comprises the user selecting said particular graphical element by dragging said particular graphical element from said first window and dropping said particular graphical element within said second window.

13. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

in response to a user input selecting a graphical representation of a particular item displayed within said second window, said particular item having an associated multi-level item hierarchy defined within said database, displaying one or more items within a same lower level of the multilevel item hierarchy.

14. The method of claim 10, and further comprising within said second window, permitting group operations on said one or more items by the user.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the data model comprises real time data, said method further comprising automatically updating said first window and said second window in response to a change in said data model.

16. A data processing system to process modeled data, comprising:

a processing unit;

a display device coupled to the processing unit;

an input device coupled to the processing unit;

said processing unit including;

means for accessing a data model of a modeled environment from a database, said data model including data defining a plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of a data-defined space within the modeled environment and data defining a plurality of items populating the modeled environment;

means for displaying within the display device a first window displaying a map of the modeled environment, said map including at least one user-selectable graphical element representing one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space or one of said plurality of items;

means for displaying within the display device a second window;

means, responsive to a first user input, for copying said at least one graphical element from said first window and for displaying said at least one graphical element within the second window;

means, responsive to a second user input selecting said at least one graphical element within said second window, for presenting data from said database associated with said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said at least one graphical element; and

means for displaying within the display device a whiteboard window to display features of the modeled environment by receiving said at least one graphical element in response to a third user input, said whiteboard window further receiving one or more characteristics related to said at least one graphical element, said whiteboard window for manipulating said at least one graphical element according to said one or more characteristics, where said at least one graphical element is associated with said one or more characteristics and with data defining said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space or one of the plurality of items, and where said at least one graphical element is used in processing the modeled data, where results of said processing are displayed within the display device.

17. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein said means for copying comprises means for copying said at least one graphical element utilizing a drag-and-drop technique.

18. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein:

said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said at least one graphical element has associated location data; and

said data processing system further comprises means for panning said first window to a view of said map corresponding to said associated location information in response to the user placing said at least one graphical element within said first window.

19. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein said means for presenting data comprises means for presenting a graphical representation of a next lower hierarchical level of said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said at least one graphical element.

20. The data processing system of claim 19, and further comprising means, responsive to a fourth user input selecting said at least one graphical element within said second window, for presenting data associated with a current level of said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said at least one graphical element.

21. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein said at least one graphical element represents one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space or one of said plurality of items.

22. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the data model comprises real time data, said data processing system further comprising means for automatically updating said first window and said second window in response to a change in said data model.

23. The data processing system of claim 16, and further comprising means for concurrently displaying within said second window a collection of multiple graphical elements that each represent a respective user-selected subset of said data-defined space within the modeled environment, wherein each of the user-selected subsets is at a same hierarchical level of the modeled environment.

24. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein said characteristics include one of chronological time for said at least one graphical element, an underlying data element related to said at least one graphical element, a logical connection related to said at least one graphical element, a function related to said at least one graphical element, a geographical coordinate related to said at least one graphical element, an address for said at least one graphical element, a permission for said at least one graphical element, or a preference for said at least one graphical element.

25. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the data processing system is part of a user interface layer adapted to operate with a middleware layer and a data layer.

26. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the data processing system operates with user interface layer modules that comprise web applications or a Java-based graphical user interfaces.

27. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the middleware layer comprises a workflow engine, common object request broker architecture services or a web application server and wherein the data layer comprises a workflow database or a data warehouse.

28. A data processing system, comprising:

a processing unit;

a display device coupled to the processing unit;

an input device coupled to the processing unit;

said processing unit including;

means for accessing a data model of a modeled environment from a database, said data model including data defining a plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of a data-defined space within the modeled environment and data defining a plurality of items populating the modeled environment;

means for displaying within the display device a first window including a plurality of user-selectable graphical elements that each represent a respective one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space within the modeled environment;

means for displaying within the display device a second window;

means, responsive to a user input selecting a particular graphical element from said first window that represents a particular subset of said data-defined space within said modeled environment, for displaying within the second window one or more graphical representations of items populating said modeled environment that are all at a same hierarchical level and are all defined by said database as having a logical connection within said particular subset of said data-defined space; and

means for displaying within the display device a whiteboard window to display features of the modeled environment by receiving said particular graphical element, said whiteboard window further receiving one or more characteristics related to said particular graphical element, said whiteboard window for manipulating said particular graphical element according to said one or more characteristics, where said particular graphical element is associated with said one or more characteristics and with data defining said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space, and where said particular graphical element is used in processing the modeled data, where results of said processing are displayed within the display device.

29. The data processing system of claim 28, wherein said means for displaying the first window comprises means for displaying a first window within which a map of the modeled environment is presented, wherein said plurality of user-selectable graphical elements are each displayed at a respective one of a plurality of locations within the map.

30. The data processing system of claim 28, and further comprising means for permitting the user to select said particular graphical element by dragging said particular graphical element from said first window and dropping said particular graphical element within said second window.

31. The data processing system of claim 28, and further comprising:

means, responsive to a user input selecting a graphical representation of a particular item displayed within said second window, said particular item having an associated multi-level item hierarchy defined within said database, for displaying one or more items within a same lower level of the multi-level item hierarchy.

32. The data processing system of claim 28, and further comprising means for permitting the user to perform group operations on said one or more items within said second window.

33. The data processing system of claim 28, wherein said data model comprises real time data, said data processing system further comprising means for automatically updating said first window and said second window in response to a change in said data model.

34. A program product, comprising:

a computer usable medium;

a software platform encoded within said computer usable medium, said software platform comprising;

means for accessing a data model of a modeled environment from a database, said data model including data defining a plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of a data-defined space within the modeled environment and data defining a plurality of items populating the modeled environment;

means for displaying within a display device a first window presenting a map of the modeled environment, said map including a user-selectable graphical element representing one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space or one of said plurality of items;

means for displaying within the display device a second window;

means, responsive to a first user input, for copying said graphical element from said first window and for displaying said graphical element within the second window;

means, responsive to a second user input selecting said graphical element within said second window, for presenting data from said database associated with said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said graphical element; and

means for displaying within the display device a whiteboard window to display features of the modeled environment by receiving said graphical element in response to a third user input, said whiteboard window further receiving one or more characteristics related to said graphical element, said whiteboard window for manipulating said graphical element according to said one or more characteristics, where said graphical element is associated with said one or more characteristics and with data defining said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space or one of the plurality of items, and where said graphical element is used in processing the modeled data, where results of said processing are displayed within the display device.

35. The program product of claim 34, wherein said means for copying comprises means for copying said graphical element utilizing a drag-and-drop technique.

36. The program product of claim 34, wherein:

said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said graphical element has associated location data; and

said program product further comprises means for panning said first window to a view of said map corresponding to said associated location information in response to the user placing said graphical element within said first window.

37. The program product of claim 34, wherein said means for presenting data comprises means for presenting a graphical representation of a next lower hierarchical level of said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said graphical element.

38. The program product of claim 37, and further comprising means, responsive to a fourth user input selecting said graphical element within said second window, for presenting data associated with a current level of said subset of said data-defined space or item represented by said graphical element.

39. The program product of claim 34, wherein said graphical element represents one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space or one of said plurality of items.

40. The program product of claim 34, wherein the data model comprises real time data, said program product further comprising means for automatically updating said first window and said second window in response to a change in said data model.

41. The program product of claim 34, and further comprising means for concurrently displaying within said second window a collection of multiple graphical elements that each represent a respective user-selected subset of said data-defined space within the modeled environment, wherein each of the user-selected subsets is at a same hierarchical level of the modeled environment.

42. The program product of claim 34, wherein said characteristics include one of chronological time for said graphical element, an underlying data element related to said graphical element, a logical connection related to said graphical element, a function related to said graphical element, a geographical coordinate related to said graphical element, an address for said graphical element, a permission for said graphical element, or a preference for said graphical element.

43. A program product, comprising:

a processing unit;

a display device coupled to the processing unit;

an input device coupled to the processing unit;

said processing unit including;

means for accessing a data model of a modeled environment from a database, said data model including data defining a plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of a data-defined space within the modeled environment and data defining a plurality of items populating the modeled environment;

means for displaying within the display device a first window including a plurality of user-selectable graphical elements that each represent a respective one of said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space within the modeled environment;

means for displaying within the display device a second window;

means, responsive to a first user input selecting a particular graphical element from said first window that represents a particular subset of said data-defined space within said modeled environment, for displaying within the second window one or more graphical representations of items populating said modeled environment that are all at a same hierarchical level and are all defined by said database as having a logical connection within said particular subset of said data-defined space; and

means for displaying within the display device a whiteboard window to display features of the modeled environment by receiving said particular graphical element or said one or more graphical representations of items in response to a second user input, said whiteboard window further receiving one or more characteristics related to said particular graphical element, said whiteboard window for manipulating said particular graphical element or said one or more graphical representations of items according to said one or more characteristics, where said particular graphical element is associated with said one or more characteristics and with data defining said plurality of hierarchically arranged subsets of said data-defined space, and where said particular graphical element is used in processing the modeled data, where results of said processing are displayed within the display device.

44. The program product of claim 43, wherein said means for displaying the first window comprises means for displaying a first window within which a map of the modeled environment is presented, wherein said plurality of user-selectable graphical elements are each displayed at a respective one of a plurality of locations within the map.

45. The program product of claim 43, and further comprising means for permitting the user to select said particular graphical element by dragging said particular graphical element from said first window and dropping said particular graphical element within said second window.

46. The program product of claim 43, and further comprising:

means, responsive to a third user input selecting a graphical representation of a particular item displayed within said second window, said particular item having an associated multi-level item hierarchy defined within said database, for displaying one or more items within a same lower level of the multi-level item hierarchy.

47. The program product of claim 43, and further comprising means for permitting the user to perform group operations on said one or more items within said second window.

48. The program product of claim 43, wherein said data model comprises real time data, said program product further comprising means for automatically updating said first window and said second window in response to a change in said data model.