System and method for visual representation and selection of hierarchical data

• US 9,152,693 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Magdalin, Vlad
• Primary Examiner(s): Gofman, Alex
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gurmu, Muluemebet
• Application Number:
  US13/776,293
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 707/737
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957

Abstract

Access to hierarchical data arranged in parent/child data levels is obtained and each data level is assigned a data level display symbol. The data level display symbols associated with a common parent data level are then identified and grouped into sets of related data level display symbols. Each of the data level display symbols within each set of related data level display symbols is then assigned a weighting value that determines one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with the data level display symbols. All the sets of related data level display symbols are then displayed on a single user interface display screen in accordance with their assigned weighting value and associated visual emphasis parameters. Any of the data level display symbols can then be activated through the user interface display screen.

Claims

1. A computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data comprising the following, which when executed individually or collectively by any set of one or more processors perform a process comprising:

obtaining access to hierarchical data, the hierarchical data being arranged in a parent/child data structure with two or more data levels;

assigning a display symbol to each data level, wherein assigned display symbols being symbols, icons, or visual features representing the data level within the hierarchical data;

grouping the display symbols for data levels associated with a common parent data level into sets of related data level display symbols;

determining how often each data level display symbol has historically been selected by a group of users;

within each set of related data level display symbols assigning a weighting value to each of the data level display symbols such that the weighting value assigned to a particular data level display symbol determines one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with that data level display symbol, wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on the determination of how often the at least one data level display symbol has historically been selected by the group of users;

displaying all the sets of related data level display symbols on a single user interface display screen such that all the data level display symbols in each set of related data level display symbols are visually grouped together and displayed on the user interface display screen;

providing a capability to activate one or more of the data level display symbols through the user interface display screen; and

in response to an activation of a data level display symbol, selecting the activated data level display symbol.

2. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the hierarchical data is selected from the group of hierarchical data consisting of:

data representing data classification categories;

data representing financial transaction classification categories;

data representing geographic locations;

audio file data;

video file data;

playlist data;

positional data;

meta data;

or any combination thereof.

3. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the display symbol assigned to at least one data level comprises one or more alpha-numeric symbols representing the associated data level.

4. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the display symbol assigned to at least one data level comprises one or more alpha-numeric symbols representing the name of the associated data level.

5. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the display symbol assigned to at least one data level comprises one or more alpha-numeric symbols representing the data content of the associated data level.

6. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on how often the data level display symbol has historically been selected by a current user of the computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data.

7. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on profile data associated with a current user of the computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data.

8. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on the context in which the data level display symbol is being displayed.

9. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the size of the data level display symbol.

10. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the font of the data level display symbol.

11. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the color of the data level display symbol.

12. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the position of the data level display symbol on the user interface display screen.

13. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes a defined animation and/or motion of the data level display symbol on the user interface display screen.

14. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein all the sets of related data level display symbols are displayed on a single user interface display screen such that all the data level display symbols in each set of related data level display symbols are visually grouped together and displayed on the user interface display screen as a visual cluster of all the data level display symbols in the set of related data level display symbols.

15. The computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 1 wherein in response to an activation of a data level display symbol, the activated data level display symbol is selected and the selected data level display symbol is displayed in an enhanced user interface display screen along with all the data level display symbols in the set of related data level display symbols that includes the selected data level display symbol.

16. A computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data comprising:

a nontransitory computer readable medium;

and computer program code encoded on the computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed via any set of one or more processors, perform the following;

obtaining access to hierarchical data, the hierarchical data being arranged in a parent/child data structure with two or more data levels;

assigning a display symbol to each data level, wherein assigned display symbols being symbols, icons, or visual features representing the data level within the hierarchical data;

determining how often each data level display symbol has historically been selected by a group of users;

grouping the display symbols for data levels associated with a common parent data level into sets of related data level display symbols;

within each set of related data level display symbols assigning a weighting value to each of the data level display symbols such that the weighting value assigned to a particular data level display symbol determines one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with that data level display symbol, wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on the determination of how often the at least one data level display symbol has historically been selected by the group of users;

displaying all the sets of related data level display symbols on a single user interface display screen such that all the data level display symbols in each set of related data level display symbols are visually grouped together and displayed on the user interface display screen;

providing a capability to activate one or more of the data level display symbols through the user interface display screen; and

in response to an activation of a data level display symbol, selecting the activated data level display symbol.

17. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the hierarchical data is selected from the group of hierarchical data consisting of:

data representing data classification categories;

data representing financial transaction classification categories;

data representing geographic locations;

audio file data;

video file data;

playlist data;

positional data;

meta data;

or any combination thereof.

18. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the display symbol assigned to at least one data level comprises one or more alpha-numeric symbols representing the associated data level.

19. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the display symbol assigned to at least one data level comprises one or more alpha-numeric symbols representing the name of the associated data level.

20. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the display symbol assigned to at least one data level comprises one or more alpha-numeric symbols representing the data content of the associated data level.

21. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on how often the data level display symbol has historically been selected by a current user of the computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data.

22. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on profile data associated with a current user of the computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data.

23. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on the context in which the data level display symbol is being displayed.

24. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the size of the data level display symbol.

25. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the font of the data level display symbol.

26. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the color of the data level display symbol.

27. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the position of the data level display symbol on the user interface display screen.

28. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes a defined animation and/or motion of the data level display symbol on the user interface display screen.

29. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein all the sets of related data level display symbols are displayed on a single user interface display screen such that all the data level display symbols in each set of related data level display symbols are visually grouped together and displayed on the user interface display screen as a visual cluster of all the data level display symbols in the set of related data level display symbols.

30. The computer program product for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 16 wherein in response to an activation of a data level display symbol, the activated data level display symbol is selected and the selected data level display symbol is displayed in an enhanced user interface display screen along with all the data level display symbols in the set of related data level display symbols that includes the selected data level display symbol.

31. A system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory having stored therein instructions which when executed by any set of the one or more processors, perform a process for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data, the process for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data including;

obtaining access to hierarchical data, the hierarchical data being arranged in a parent/child data structure with two or more data levels;

assigning a display symbol to each data level, wherein assigned display symbols being symbols, icons, or visual features representing the data level within the hierarchical data;

determining how often each data level display symbol has historically been selected by a group of users;

grouping the display symbols for data levels associated with a common parent data level into sets of related data level display symbols;

within each set of related data level display symbols assigning a weighting value to each of the data level display symbols such that the weighting value assigned to a particular data level display symbol determines one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with that data level display symbol, wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on the determination of how often the at least one data level display symbol has historically been selected by the group of users;

displaying all the sets of related data level display symbols on a single user interface display screen such that all the data level display symbols in each set of related data level display symbols are visually grouped together and displayed on the user interface display screen;

providing a capability to activate one or more of the data level display symbols through the user interface display screen; and

in response to an activation of a data level display symbol, selecting the activated data level display symbol.

32. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the hierarchical data is selected from the group of hierarchical data consisting of:

data representing data classification categories;

data representing financial transaction classification categories;

data representing geographic locations;

audio file data;

video file data;

playlist data;

positional data;

meta data;

or any combination thereof.

33. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the display symbol assigned to at least one data level comprises one or more alpha-numeric symbols representing the associated data level.

34. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the display symbol assigned to at least one data level comprises one or more alpha-numeric symbols representing the name of the associated data level.

35. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the display symbol assigned to at least one data level comprises one or more alpha-numeric symbols representing the data content of the associated data level.

36. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on how often the data level display symbol has historically been selected by a current user of the computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data.

37. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on profile data associated with a current user of the computing system implemented method for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data.

38. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the weighting value assigned to at least one of the data level display symbols is determined based on the context in which the data level display symbol is being displayed.

39. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the size of the data level display symbol.

40. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the font of the data level display symbol.

41. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the color of the data level display symbol.

42. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes the position of the data level display symbol on the user interface display screen.

43. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein the one or more visual emphasis parameters to be associated with a data level display symbol includes a defined animation and/or motion of the data level display symbol on the user interface display screen.

44. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein all the sets of related data level display symbols are displayed on a single user interface display screen such that all the data level display symbols in each set of related data level display symbols are visually grouped together and displayed on the user interface display screen as a visual cluster of all the data level display symbols in the set of related data level display symbols.

45. The system for visually representing and selecting hierarchical data of claim 31 wherein in response to an activation of a data level display symbol, the activated data level display symbol is selected and the selected data level display symbol is displayed in an enhanced user interface display screen along with all the data level display symbols in the set of related data level display symbols that includes the selected data level display symbol.