Assigning values to objects using a two-dimensional data input plane

• US 8,736,611 B1
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Tulasi, Vinuth
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Phi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akhavannik, Mohammad H
• Application Number:
  US12/878,768
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 345440-441
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones

Abstract

A two-dimensional data input plane represents a set of objects along an x-axis and a set of values that can be assigned to the objects along a y-axis. Plotting a point on the graph causes a value corresponding to the horizontal component of the point to be assigned to an object corresponding to the vertical component of the point. In one example, a device includes a user interface to display a graph, identifiers for a set of objects along an x-axis of the graph, and a set of values along a y-axis of the graph, and a processor to receive a selection of an intersection of one of the identifiers of the objects along the x-axis and one of the values along the y-axis from the user interface, and to assign the one of the values to the one of the objects corresponding to the one of the identifiers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, by a computing device, identifiers for a set of network devices along an x-axis of a graph and a set of values, corresponding to respective security domains, along a y-axis of the graph;

receiving a selection of an intersection of one of the identifiers along the x-axis and one of the values along the y-axis;

assigning the selected one of the values to the one of the network devices corresponding to the selected one of the identifiers; and

configuring the one of the network devices corresponding to the selected one of the identifiers to operate within the one of the security domains corresponding to the selected one of the values.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of network devices comprises a subset of a superset of network devices, the method further comprising receiving a request for search criteria, and selecting the subset of network devices from the superset of network devices such that each of the network devices of the subset satisfies the search criteria.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request to change a resolution for the graph, and changing the resolution of the graph in accordance with the request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the request comprises a request to zoom-in, and wherein changing the resolution comprises reducing the number of identifiers for the set of network devices displayed on the graph in accordance with the request.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the request comprises a request to zoom-out, and wherein changing the resolution comprises increasing the number of identifiers for the set of network devices displayed on the graph in accordance with the request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to shift a focal position of the graph; and

shifting the focal position of the graph in accordance with the request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection comprises receiving a right mouse button selection of the intersection, the method further comprising displaying a drop-down menu in response to the right mouse button selection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the drop-down menu comprises a plurality of values, and wherein receiving the selection comprises receiving a selection of one of the values of the drop-down menu.

9. A device comprising:

a user interface to display a graph, identifiers for a set of network devices along an x-axis of the graph, and a set of values, corresponding to respective security domains, along a y-axis of the graph;

a computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for a configuration module and a user interface module; and

a processor to execute the user interface module to receive a selection of an intersection of one of the identifiers of the network devices along the x-axis and one of the values along the y-axis from the user interface, to execute the configuration module to assign the selected one of the values to the one of the network devices corresponding to the selected one of the identifiers, and to execute the configuration module to configure the one of the network devices corresponding to the selected one of the identifiers to operate within the one of the domains corresponding to the selected one of the values.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the set of network devices comprises a subset of a superset of network devices, and wherein the processor is configured to execute a search module to receive a request for search criteria, and to select the subset of network devices from the superset of network devices such that each of the network devices of the subset satisfies the search criteria.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor receives the selection as a right mouse button selection of the intersection, and wherein the processor is configured to cause the user interface to display a drop-down menu in response to the right mouse button selection, wherein the drop-down menu comprises a plurality of values, and wherein the processor is configured to receive a selection of one of the values of the drop-down menu.

12. A system comprising:

a plurality of managed network devices; and

a management device comprising;

a user interface to display a graph, identifiers for the plurality of managed network devices along an x-axis of the graph, and a set of values, corresponding to respective security domains, along a y-axis of the graph;

a computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for a configuration module and a user interface module; and

a processor to execute the user interface module to receive a selection of an intersection of one of the identifiers of the managed network devices along the x-axis and one of the values along the y-axis from the user interface, to execute the configuration module to assign the selected one of the values to the one of the managed network devices corresponding to the selected one of the identifiers, and to execute the configuration module to send configuration data to the selected one of the managed network devices to configure the selected one of the managed network devices to operate within the one of the security domains corresponding to the selected one of the values.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the set of managed network devices comprises a subset of a superset of managed network devices, and wherein the processor is configured to execute a search module to receive a request for search criteria, and to select the subset of managed network devices from the superset of managed network devices such that each of the managed network devices of the subset satisfies the search criteria.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor receives the selection as a right mouse button selection of the intersection, and wherein the processor is configured to cause the user interface to display a drop-down menu in response to the right mouse button selection, wherein the drop-down menu comprises a plurality of values, and wherein the processor is configured to receive a selection of one of the values of the drop-down menu.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

display identifiers for a set of network devices along an x-axis of a graph and a set of values, corresponding to respective security domains, along a y-axis of the graph;

receive a selection of an intersection of one of the identifiers along the x-axis and one of the values along the y-axis;

assign the selected one of the values to the one of the network devices corresponding to the selected one of the identifiers; and

configure the one of the network devices corresponding to the selected one of the identifiers to operate within the one of the security domains corresponding to the selected one of the values.