System and method for providing a dynamic expanded timeline

• US 7,944,445 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gilbert, Brent, Iverson, Mark Fredrick, Schorr, Janet L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amini; Javid A
• Application Number:
  US10/736,435
• Time in Patent Office: 2,710 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440, 345/440.1, 345/440.2, 345/443, 715/963, 700/14, 700/15, 700/16
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

Generating a child timeline on a drawing sheet of a diagramming program such that the child timeline is dynamically linked to a parent timeline. An automated method allows for the automatic placing of information on the child timeline that was on the parent timeline when the child timeline is created. Parent and child timelines can be modified and a child timeline can be automatically updated when changes are made to the parent timeline and these changes affect the time interval corresponding to the child timeline.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method in a project information management system, comprising:

placing a first line on an electronic drawing sheet, the first line representing a first time interval and including a first set of project events;

receiving an indication of a selection of a portion of the first line that represents a second time interval within the first time interval;

placing a second line on the electronic drawing sheet corresponding to the second time interval, the second line representing an expanded view of the second time interval and including a second set of project events corresponding to the first set of project events;

detecting a modification of a project event of the first set that is within the second time interval; and

automatically updating the second set of project events in the second line to conform to the updated project event of the first set.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding at least one project events to the second line without modifying the selected portion of the first line.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a portion of the first line to expand the selected portion includes dragging and dropping an icon over the selected portion of the first line.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected portion of the first line has a first length and the second line has a second length greater than the first length.

5. A project information management system for displaying project event information, comprising:

a drawing sheet module for placing a first line and a second line on an electronic drawing sheet, the first line representing a first time interval and including a first set of project events and the second line representing a second time interval and including a second set of project events; and

a timeline module for receiving from the drawing sheet module an indication of a selection of a portion of the first line and for dynamically-linking the second line to the selected portion of the first line, wherein the second line represents an expanded view of the associated portion of the first line, and wherein the second set of project events correspond to the first set of selected portion of the first line such that detection of a modification of the first set of project events in the selected portion of the first line results in automatically updating the second set of project events in the second line to conform to the modified first set of project events or detection of a modification of the second set of project events results in updating the first set of project events in the first line to conform to the modified second set of project events.

6. A computer-readable storage device storing a set of computer-executable instructions implementing a method for a computer-implemented method in a project information management system, comprising the steps of:

placing a first line on an electronic drawing sheet, the first line representing a first time interval and including a first set of project events;

receiving an indication of a selection of a portion of the first line that represents a second time interval within the first time interval;

placing a second line on the electronic drawing sheet corresponding to the second time interval, the second line representing an expanded view of the second time interval and including a second set of project events corresponding to the first set of project events;

detecting a modification of a project event of the first set that is within the second time interval; and

automatically updating the second set of project events in the second line to conform to the updated project event of the first set.

7. The storage device of claim 6 wherein the step of selecting the portion of the first line comprises selecting the portion of the first line by placing an icon onto the first line.

8. A project information management system for displaying project event information, comprising:

a component for depicting a first line and a second line on an electronic drawing sheet, the first line representing a first time interval;

a component for allowing user selection of a portion of the first line that represents a second time interval within the first time interval and dynamically-linking the selected portion to the second line, wherein the second line represents an expanded view of the second time interval;

a component for allowing user addition of a first project milestone to the first line;

a component for determining if the first project milestone is in the second time interval and if the first project milestone is in the second time interval, adding a second project milestone to the second line that corresponds to the first project milestone; and

a component for allowing user addition of a third project milestone to the second line in addition to the second project milestone without adding a corresponding project milestone to the first line.