Mouse radar for enhanced navigation of a topology

• US 7,624,358 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Steven P., Uthe, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow; Dennis-Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Linh K
• Application Number:
  US11/113,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 715/816, 715/737, 715/862, 715/857, 715/759, 701/202, 701/209, 701/211, 701/207, 701/208
• US Class Current: 715/855
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for enhancing navigation of a topology within a visual display. A system is disclosed including: a system for displaying an enhanced mouse pointer in a current view, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes an indicator that points to a resource outside the current view; and a processing system for calculating the indicator by analyzing resources in the topology.

Claims

1. A system for enhancing navigation of a topology within a visual display, comprising:

a device for displaying an enhanced mouse pointer in a current view, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes an indicator that directionally points to a resource in the topology outside the current view, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes a circular band surrounding the enhanced mouse pointer, wherein the indicator is located along the circular band, wherein the circular band includes an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter and wherein a position of the indicator relative to the inner and outer perimeters provides a relative distance to the resource, and wherein the enhanced mouse pointer is continuously movable within the current view by a user operating a mouse; and

a processing system for calculating the indicator by analyzing resources in the topology.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicator includes an attribute that provides information about the resource.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a color, a shape, and a size.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system identifies resources of interest for a user based on a set of user preferences.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes a separate indicator for each of the identified resources of interest.

6. A computer readable medium having a program product stored thereon for enhancing navigation of a topology in a visual display, the computer readable medium comprising program code for performing the following steps when executed on a computer system:

displaying an enhanced mouse pointer in a current view, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes an indicator that directionally points to a resource in the topology outside the current view, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes a circular band surrounding the enhanced mouse pointer, wherein the circular band includes an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter and wherein a position of the indicator relative to the inner and outer perimeters provides a relative distance to the resource, and wherein the indicator is located along the circular band; and

calculating the indicator by analyzing resources in the topology.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the indicator includes an attribute that provides information about the resource.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a color, a shape, and a size.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the processing system identifies resources of interest for a user based on a set of user preferences.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the enhanced mouse pointer includes a separate indicator for each of the identified resources of interest.

11. A method for enhancing navigation of a topology in a visual display, wherein the method comprises:

positioning a mouse pointer in a current view of the topology, wherein the mouse pointer includes a circular band surrounding the mouse pointer, and wherein the circular band includes an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter and wherein a position of the indicator relative to the inner and outer perimeters provides a relative distance to the resource;

calculating an indicator by analyzing resources in the topology; and

displaying the indicator proximate the mouse pointer, wherein the indicator directionally points to a resource of interest in the topology outside the current view, and wherein the indicator is located along the circular band.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the indicator includes an attribute that provides information about the resource of interest.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a color, a shape, and a size.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of calculating the indicator includes:

identifying at least one resource of interest

determining a position of the at least one resource of interest; and

determining attributes for the at least one resource of interest.

15. A method for deploying a topology navigation system, comprising

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to

position a mouse pointer in a current view of the topology, wherein the mouse pointer includes a circular band surrounding the mouse pointer, and wherein the circular band includes an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter and wherein a position of the indicator relative to the inner and outer perimeters provides a relative distance to the resource;

calculate an indicator by analyzing resources in the topology; and

display the indicator proximate the mouse pointer, wherein the indicator directionally points to a resource of interest in the topology outside the current view, and wherein the indicator is located along the circular band.