Display and management of data within hierarchies and polyarchies of information

• US 7,334,197 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Czerwinski, Mary P., Robbins, Daniel C., Robertson, George G., Cameron, Kim
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US10/965,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20050050477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 715853-854, 715/764, 715/781, 715/788, 715/841, 715/835
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 Trees

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying and managing data in hierarchies and polyarchies of information are described. In one aspect, an object having first and second intersecting hierarchies is specified. The object is illustrated with respect to the first hierarchy. A second intersecting hierarchy selection option is presented to a user to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy in response to user selection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

specifying an object having first and second intersecting hierarchies, wherein intersecting hierarchies represent overlapping of at least a portion of the first and second hierarchies such that one or more nodes are shared between the first and second hierarchies;

illustrating the object with respect to the first hierarchy; and

presenting a second intersecting hierarchy selection option to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy in response to user selection.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the object is illustrated with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy as a three-dimensional structure.

3. A method as recited in claim 1:

wherein the first and second intersecting hierarchies comprise a plurality of additional objects;

wherein the method further comprises;

presenting context sensitive information for the object and an additional object, the context sensitive information for the additional object comprising an indication of a third hierarchy; and

choosing the indication corresponding to the third hierarchy; and

in response to choosing;

(a) if the first hierarchy intersects the third hierarchy, illustrating both the object and the additional object with respect to the third hierarchy; and

(b) if the first hierarchy does not intersect the third hierarchy, illustrating only the additional object with respect to the third hierarchy.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

in response to the specifying;

(a) displaying additional objects that correspond the object; and

(b) exposing one or more attributes that correspond to the object;

choosing an attribute of the one or more attributes; and

filtering the additional objects based on the attribute.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

selecting the second intersecting hierarchy selection option; and

in response to the selecting, illustrating the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the illustrating further comprises visually morphing from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein one or more additional objects are illustrated with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy, and wherein illustrating the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy further comprises:

visually morphing from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy; and

wherein the visually morphing comprises simultaneously illustrating at least a portion of both the first and second intersecting hierarchies and graphically pivoting about the object to temporarily show a relationship of the objects with respect to the first and second intersecting hierarchies.

8. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein illustrating the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy further comprises:

visually morphing from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy, one or more additional objects being illustrated with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy; and

wherein the visually morphing comprises overlaying at least a portion of both the first and second intersecting hierarchies simultaneously to temporarily illustrate a relationship of the objects with respect to the first and second intersecting hierarchies.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the object is a first object, and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a second object that corresponds to the first object;

selecting the second object; and

in response to selecting, illustrating both the first and second objects with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

selecting the second intersecting hierarchy selection option; and

in response to the selecting, illustrating the first and second objects with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-program instructions embodied thereon, the instructions executable by a processor for performing acts comprising:

presenting an object within a first hierarchy of information;

switching from the first hierarchy of information to a second hierarchy of information to present the object within the second hierarchy of information; and

wherein the first and second hierarchies intersect at the object, wherein intersecting at the object comprises the object being shared between at least two hierarchies, the first hierarchy associated a first data relationship of the object, the second hierarchy associated with a second data relationship of the object, the first data relationship being different than the second data relationship.

12. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the computer-program instructions for presenting and the switching are performed using three-dimensional graphical objects.

13. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the computer-program instructions for switching further comprise instructions for gradually turning an image of the first hierarchy of information into the second hierarchy of information, such that at least a portion of both the first and second hierarchies are momentarily visible.

14. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the computer-program instructions for switching further comprise instructions for:

rotating the second hierarchy about the pivot axis onto the first hierarchy; and

fading out the first hierarchy to leave only the second hierarchy.

15. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the computer-program instructions for switching further comprise instructions for gradually turning an image of the first hierarchy of information into the second hierarchy of information about a pivot axis that intersects the object.

16. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising computer-program instructions executable by the processor for;

specifying an object having first and second intersecting hierarchies, wherein intersecting hierarchies represent overlapping of at least a portion of the first and second hierarchies such that one or more nodes are shared between the first and second hierarchies;

illustrating the object with respect to the first hierarchy; and

presenting a second intersecting hierarchy selection option to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy in response to user selection.

17. A computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the object is illustrated with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy as a three-dimensional structure.

18. A computing device as recited in claim 16:

wherein the first and second intersecting hierarchies comprise a plurality of additional objects; and

wherein the computer-program instructions further comprise instructions for;

presenting context sensitive information for the object and an additional object, the context sensitive information for the additional object comprising an indication of a third hierarchy; and

choosing the indication corresponding to the third hierarchy; and

in response to choosing;

(a) if the first hierarchy intersects the third hierarchy, illustrating both the object and the additional object with respect to the third hierarchy; and

(b) if the first hierarchy does not intersect the third hierarchy, illustrating only the additional object with respect to the third hierarchy.

19. A computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer-program instructions further comprise instructions for:

responsive to specifying the object having first and second intersecting hierarchies;

(a) displaying additional objects that correspond the object;

(b) exposing one or more attributes that correspond to the object;

choosing an attribute; and

responsive to choosing an attribute of the one or more attributes, filtering the additional objects based on the attribute.

20. A computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer-program instructions for illustrating further comprise instructions for visually morphing from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy.

21. A computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer-program instructions for illustrating further comprise instructions for:

visually morphing from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy, one or more additional objects being illustrated with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy; and

wherein the visually morphing comprises simultaneously illustrating at least a portion of both the first and second intersecting hierarchies and graphically pivoting about the object to temporarily show a relationship of the objects with respect to the first and second intersecting hierarchies.

22. A computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer-program instructions for illustrating further comprise instructions for:

visually morphing from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy, one or more additional objects being illustrated with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy; and

wherein the visually morphing comprises overlaying at least a portion of both the first and second intersecting hierarchies simultaneously to temporarily illustrate a relationship of the objects with respect to the first and second intersecting hierarchies.

23. A computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the object is a first object, and the computer-program instructions further comprise instructions for:

displaying a second object that corresponds to the specified first object;

selecting the second object; and

in response to selecting, illustrating both the first and second objects with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy.

24. A computing device as recited in claim 23, wherein the computer-program instructions further comprise instructions for:

selecting the second intersecting hierarchy selection option; and

responsive to selecting the second intersecting hierarchy selection option, illustrating the first and second objects with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy.

25. A computing device as recited in claim 23, wherein the computer-program instructions further comprise instructions for:

removing the first object such that only the second object is illustrated with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy.

26. A graphical user interface comprising a graphical window renderable by a display device, the graphical window comprising:

a first area to facilitate user specification of an object that may be represented in intersecting first and second hierarchies, wherein intersecting hierarchies represent overlapping of at least a portion of the first and second hierarchies such that one or more nodes are shared between the first and second hierarchies;

a second area to illustrate the object with respect to the first hierarchy; and

a third area to facilitate user selection of the second hierarchy so that, upon selection of the second hierarchy, the second area is changed to illustrate the object with respect to the second hierarchy.

27. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 26, wherein the graphical user interface changes the second area to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy by visually morphing from the first hierarchy to the second hierarchy.

28. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 26, wherein the graphical user interface changes the second area to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy by:

(a) rotating the second hierarchy about a pivot axis onto the first hierarchy; and

(b) fading out the first hierarchy to leave only the second hierarchy.

29. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 26:

wherein the object is being displayed in the second area in context of a current hierarchy, the current hierarchy being selected from a group of hierarchies consisting of the first and second hierarchies; and

wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a fourth area to display the specified object and additional objects that correspond to the specified object, the fourth area facilitating user selection of an additional object so that, upon selection of the additional object, the second area is changed to illustrate the object and the additional object within the current hierarchy.

30. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 29, further comprising a fifth area to display the object and the one or more additional objects in a list, the object and the one or more additional objects being listed objects, the list facilitating removal of a listed object from the second area so that, upon selection of a listed object, the selected object is removed from the second area.

31. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 26, wherein:

the object is being displayed in the second area in context of a current hierarchy, the current hierarchy being selected from a group of hierarchies consisting of the first and second hierarchies;

the graphical user interface further comprises;

(a) a fourth area to display the specified object and additional objects that correspond to the specified object, the fourth area facilitating user selection of an additional object so that, upon selection of the additional object, the second area is changed to illustrate the object and the additional object within the current hierarchy; and

(b) a fifth area to display attributes of the specified object, the fourth area facilitating filtering of the additional objects displayed in the fourth area.

32. A system comprising:

a computer coupled to a data store comprising a plurality of databases, the computer comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the memory comprising computer-program instructions executable by the processor for;

specifying an object from the data store;

in response to specifying, receiving data from the data store, the data comprising first and second hierarchies of information that correspond to the specified object, the first and second hierarchies of information intersecting at the object, wherein intersecting at the object comprises the object being shred between at least two hierarchies, the first hierarchy being associated a first data relationship of the object, the second hierarchy being associated with a second data relationship of the object, the first data relationship being different than the second data relationship;

illustrating the object within the first hierarchy; and

presenting an indication of the second hierarchy for user selection to illustrate the object with respect to the second hierarchy.

33. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein the computer-program instructions further comprise instructions for:

selecting the second intersecting hierarchy; and

in response to the selecting, illustrating the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy.

34. A system as recited in claim 33, wherein the computer-program instructions for illustrating further comprise instructions for visually morphing from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy.

35. A system as recited in claim 34, wherein one or more additional objects are illustrated with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy, and wherein the computer-program instructions for visually morphing further comprise instructions for simultaneously illustrating at least a portion of both the first and second intersecting hierarchies and graphically pivoting about the object to temporarily show a relationship of the objects with respect to the first and second intersecting hierarchies.

36. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein the object is a first object, and wherein the computer-program instructions further comprise instructions for:

displaying a second object that corresponds to the specified first object;

selecting the second object; and

in response to selecting, illustrating both the first and second objects with respect to the first intersecting hierarchy.

37. A computing device comprising:

specifying means to specify an object having first and second intersecting hierarchies, wherein intersecting hierarchies represent overlapping of at least a portion of the first and second hierarchies such tat one or more nodes are shared between the first and second hierarchies;

illustrating means to illustrate the object with respect to the first hierarchy; and

presenting means to present a second intersecting hierarchy selection option to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy in response to user selection.

38. A computing device as recited in claim 37, wherein the first and second intersecting hierarchies comprise a plurality of additional objects, and wherein the computing device further comprises:

presenting means to show context sensitive information for the object and an additional object, the context sensitive information for the additional object comprising an indication of a third hierarchy; and

choosing means to choose the indication corresponding to the third hierarchy; and

in response to choosing;

(a) if the first hierarchy intersects the third hierarchy, illustrating means to illustrate both the object and the additional object wit respect to the third hierarchy; and

(b) if the first hierarchy does not intersect the third hierarchy, illustrating means to illustrate only the additional object with respect to the third hierarchy.

39. A computing device as recited in claim 37, further comprising:

selecting means to select the second intersecting hierarchy selection option; and

responsive to selection of the second intersecting hierarchy selection option, illustrating means to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy.

40. A computing device as recited in claim 39, wherein the illustrating means further comprises visually morphing means to morph from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy.