Method and system for providing user interface representing organization hierarchy

• US 8,161,413 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Chun-Yi, Uysal, Aylin, Baggett, Sally, Bezuayehu, Lulit, Singh, Prashant, Budavari, Peter, Glazer, Brendon, Hekking, Bret, Challenger, Julian
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US12/563,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20110055771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 715853-855, 715711-713, 715/762, 715/764
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• 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

Abstract

Method and system for providing graphical user interface for displaying hierarchical charts. According to various embodiments, the present invention provides a graphical user interface where relational data are displayed as one or more hierarchical charts. A hierarchical chart includes a plurality of nodes that are organized according to the hierarchical chart. Each of the nodes is associated with a data record that contains multiple level of information. At different view level, different amount of information for the nodes are displayed. A view control function is provided for the graphical user interface. If none (or all) of the nodes are selected, each nodes display the same level of information based associated with a particular view level. If only few of the nodes are selected, only the selected nodes responds changes in view level when being displayed.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a processor, a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface device communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor being adapted to execute codes stored on a computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:

code for obtaining information from a database, the database being stored in a memory, the database being configured to provide representation for a plurality of entities, the plurality of entities being related to one another according to a hierarchy, each of the plurality of entities includes a plurality of entries, the plurality of entries being corresponding to a set of view level, the set of view levels including a first view level and a second view level and a third view level, the plurality of entities including a first entity and a second entity and a third entity, the first entity including a first entry and a second entry and a third entry, the second entity including a fourth entry and a fifth entry and a sixth entry, the third entity including a seventh entry and an eighth entry and a ninth entry;

code for processing user inputs from a user input module;

code for providing a user interface on the display, the user interface including a control region and a display region, the control region including a view control field;

code for displaying the plurality of entities as nodes on a hierarchical chart at the first view level obtained by the processor on the display region of the user interface, the nodes including a first node representing the first entity, a second node representing the second entity, and a third node representing the third entity, the first entry and the fourth entry and the seventh entry being shown at the first view level, one or more nodes being selectable by a user using the user input module;

code for storing view control information for each of the nodes;

code for storing selection states of the plurality of nodes if one or more of the nodes are selected;

code for processing a first user input from the user input module, the first user input indicating the second view level being selected;

code for displaying each of the plurality of nodes at the second view level if the selection states indicate that none the plurality of nodes is selected;

code for displaying the first node at the second view level and the second node at the first view level if the selection states indicate that only the first node is selected, the first entry and the second entry being displayed at the second view level, the fifth entry being invisible at the first view level, the fourth entry being displayed at the first view level;

code for displaying the first node and the second node at the second view level and the third node at the first view level if the selection states indicate that only the first node and the second node are selected, the first entry and the second entry and the fourth entry and the fifth entry being displayed at the second view level, the seventh entry being display at the first view level, the eighth entry being invisible at the first view level; and

code displaying the first node at the third view level and the second node at the first view level if the third view level is selected the selection states indicate that the first node is selected, the first entry and the second entry and the third entry being displayed at the third view level, the sixth entry being invisible.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the first node is characterized by a first display size at the first view level and a second display size at the second view level.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the computer memory comprises a hard disk, a network drive, a RAID drive, or a flash drive.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 where each of plurality of the plurality of information items comprises text and picture associated with a person, the information comprising contact information.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising providing a network interface wherein the processor is adapted to obtain information using the network interface.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the database comprises a relational database, a hierarchical database, a network database, an online database, or an object database.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the view control field comprises a sliding button for selecting view levels.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the view control field comprises a dropdown menu for selecting view levels.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the view control field comprises a text field for entering view level.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the view control field displays the selected view level.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the view levels further comprising a fourth view level, wherein the first node is displayed within essentially an entire area of the display region if the first node selected to be displayed at the fourth view level.

3. The computer-readable storage medium 1 wherein the first node is characterized by a same display size at the first view level and the second view level.

4. The computer-readable storage medium 1 further comprising code for providing a indication the selected states of the plurality of nodes.

5. The computer-readable storage medium 1 wherein the user input module comprises a mouse, and a keyboard.

15. A method for providing a user interface wherein information items are displayed in an hierarchy, the method comprising:

providing a database, the database being configured to provide representation for a plurality of entities, the plurality of entities being related to one another according to a hierarchy, each of the plurality of entities including a plurality of entries, the plurality of entities including a first entity and a second entity and a third entity, the first entity including a first entry and a second entry and a third entry, the second entity including a fourth entry and a fifth entry and a sixth entry, the third entity including a seventh entry and an eighth entry and a ninth entry;

determining a correspondence between the plurality of entries and a set of view levels, the set of view levels including a first view level and a second view level and a third view level;

providing a display;

providing a user input module;

providing a processor;

obtaining the plurality of entries from the database by the processor;

providing a user interface on the display, the user interface including a control region and a display region, the control region including a view control field;

displaying the plurality of entries at the first view level obtained by the processor on the display region of the user interface as nodes of a hierarchical chart, a first node corresponding to the first entity, a second node corresponding to the second entity, and a third node corresponding to the third entity, the first entry and the fourth entry and the seventh entry being shown at the first view level, one or more nodes being selectable by a user using the user input module;

storing selection states of the plurality of nodes if one or more of the nodes are selected;

receiving a first user input from the user input module, the first user input indicating the second view level being selected;

displaying each of the plurality of nodes at the second view level if the selection states indicate that none of the plurality of nodes is selected;

displaying the first node at the second view level and the second node at the first view level if the selection states indicate that only the first node is selected, the first node and the second node being displayed at the second view level, the fifth entry being invisible at the first view level, the fourth entry being displayed at the first view level;

displaying the first node and the second node at the second view level and the third node at the first view level if the selection states indicate that only the first node and the second node are selected, the first entry and the second entry and the fourth entry and the fifth entry being displayed at the second view level, the seventh entry being displayed at the first view level, the eighth entry being invisible at the first view level; and

displaying the first node at the third view level and the second node at the first view level if the third view level is selected the selection states indicate that the first node is selected, the first entry and the second entry and the third entry being displayed at the third view level, the sixth entry being invisible.

16. A system for providing a graphical user interface, the system comprising:

a user input module;

a memory;

a processor, the processor is configured to obtain representation for a plurality of entities from a database, the plurality of entities being related to one another according to a hierarchy, each of the plurality of entities includes a plurality of entries, the plurality of entries being corresponding to a set of view level, a first set of information being associated with a first view level, a second set of information being associated with a second view level;

a display, the display is configured to provide a user interface on the display, the displaying including a control region and a display region, the control region including a view control field, the display being adapted to displaying the plurality of entities as nodes on a hierarchical chart at the first view level obtained by the processor on the display region of the user interface, a first level of information of the nodes being displayed at the first view level, one or more records being selectable by a user using the user input module;

wherein;

the memory stores selection states of the plurality of nodes if one or more of the recorded are selected;

the user input module is adapted to receive a first user input indicating the second view level being selected;

the display is updated for displaying each of the plurality of node at the second view level if the selection states indicate that none of the plurality of records is selected;

the display is updated for displaying a first node at the second view level and a second node at the first view level if the selection states indicate that only the first record is selected.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the database is stored in the memory.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising a network interface, the database being accessible to the system using the network interface.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the processor determines which of the nodes change view level.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the processor determines what information is to be displayed at the first view level.