Method and system for providing user interface representing organization hierarchy

• US 8,966,405 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• 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:
  US13/420,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20120174040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 715853-855
• US Class Current: 715/853
• 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. A method of providing a user interface wherein information items are displayed in an hierarchy, the method comprising:

obtaining representation for a plurality of entities from a database, the plurality of entities being related to one another according to a hierarchy;

associating a first set of information with a first view level and a second set of information with a second view level;

providing, on a display, a user interface including a control region, a view control field, and a display region, configured to displaying the plurality of entities as a plurality of nodes on a hierarchical chart at the first view level on the display region of the user interface, the first set-level of information for the plurality of nodes being displayed at the first view level, one or more of the plurality of nodes being selectable by a user using a user input module;

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

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

displaying the second set of information for 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; and

displaying the second set of information for a first node at the second view level and the first set of information for a second node at the first view level if the selection states indicate that only the first node is selected.

2. The method 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.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node is characterized by a same display size at the first view level and the second view level.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication of the selected states of the plurality of nodes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises a relational database, a hierarchical database, a network database, an online database, or an object database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the view control field comprises a sliding button for selecting view levels.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the view control field comprises a dropdown menu for selecting view levels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the view control field comprises a text field for entering view level.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the view control field displays the selected view level.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for providing a user interface wherein information items are displayed in an hierarchy, having sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

obtain representation for a plurality of entities from a database, the plurality of entities being related to one another according to a hierarchy;

associate a first set of information with a first view level and a second set of information with a second view level;

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

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

receive a first user input indicating the second view level being selected;

display the second set of information for 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; and

display the second set of information for a first node at the second view level and the first set of information for a second node at the first view level if the selection states indicate that only the first node is selected.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, 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.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the first node is characterized by a same display size at the first view level and the second view level.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising providing an indication of the selected states of the plurality of nodes.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the database comprises a relational database, a hierarchical database, a network database, an online database, or an object database.

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

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the view control field comprises a dropdown menu for selecting view levels.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the view control field comprises a text field for entering view level.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the view control field displays the selected view level.

19. A system for providing a user interface wherein information items are displayed in a hierarchy, the system comprising:

a storage device;

a display device; and

one or more processors in communication with the storage device, wherein the storage device has sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

obtain representation for a plurality of entities from a database, the plurality of entities being related to one another according to a hierarchy;

associate a first set of information with a first view level and a second set of information with a second view level;

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

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

receive a first user input indicating the second view level being selected;

display the second set of information for 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; and

display the second set of information for a first node at the second view level and the first set of information for a second node at the first view level if the selection states indicate that only the first node is selected.

20. The system of claim 19, 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.