Integrated multidimensional view of hierarchical objects

• US 20070150835A1
• Filed: 12/27/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Muller, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,557,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to the display of multidimensional structures and provide a method, system and computer program product for managing an integrated multidimensional view of a structured collection of objects. In one embodiment of the invention, a data processing system can be configured to render an integrated view of a multidimensional structured collection of objects. The data processing system can include a GUI for a host application in a computing platform and multidimensional view processing logic coupled to the host application. The logic can include program code enabled to render a single, integrated multidimensional view of a structured collection of objects in the GUI.

Claims

1. A data processing system configured to render an integrated view of a multidimensional structured collection of objects, the data processing system comprising:

a graphical user interface (GUI) for a host application in a computing platform;

multidimensional view processing logic coupled to the host application, the logic comprising program code enabled to render an inline multidimensional view of a structured collection of objects in the GUI.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the single, integrated multidimensional view of the structured collection of objects comprises:

a hierarchy of objects comprising a root node coupled to a plurality of intermediate nodes terminating with a plurality of leaf nodes; and

,

at least two activatable icons associated with each node in the hierarchy, each of the activatable icons corresponding to a different dimension, each activatable icon comprising a configuration responsive to a selection of the activatable icon for rendering a sub-hierarchy below an associate node arranged according to the corresponding dimension.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each activatable icon for an associated node is configured to be selected concurrently with at least one other activatable icon for the associated node.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the dimensions comprise at least one of parent-child relationship, a membership and access privileges relationship, a date, time and places relationship, a related resources relationship, and an alerts, notifications and alarms relationship.

5. A method for managing an integrated multidimensional view of objects in a graphical user interface (GUI), the method comprising:

providing a view of at least a portion of objects in a structured collection of objects according to a first dimension;

selecting one of the objects in the provided view; and

,

embedding within the provided view an in-line view of attributes of the selected one of the objects according to a second dimension.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, concurrently embedding in the provided view, a different in-line view of attributes for a different selected one of the objects according to a third dimension.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

selecting a different one of the objects in the provided view; and

,

embedding in the provided view a different a different in-line view of attributes for the selected different one of the objects according to a third dimension.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein selecting one of the objects in the provided view, comprises selecting an activatable icon from among a plurality of activatable icons associated with the selected one of the objects, the selected activatable icon having an association with the second dimension.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting one of the objects in the provided view, comprises selecting an activatable icon from among a plurality of activatable icons associated with the selected one of the objects, the selected activatable icon having an association with the second dimension.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting a different one of the objects in the provided view, comprises selecting an activatable icon from among a plurality of activatable icons associated with the selected different one of the objects, the selected activatable icon having an association with the third dimension.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for managing an integrated multidimensional view of a hierarchy of objects in a graphical user interface (GUI), the computer program product including:

computer usable program code for providing a view of at least a portion of objects in the structured collection of objects according to a first dimension;

computer usable program code for selecting one of the objects in the provided view; and

,

computer usable program code for embedding within the provided view an in-line view of attributes of the selected one of the objects according to a second dimension.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising, computer usable program code for concurrently embedding in the structured collection of objects a different in-line view of attributes of a different selected one of the objects according to a third dimension.

13. The computer program code of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for selecting a different one of the objects in the provided view; and

,

computer usable program code for embedding within the provided view a different in-line view of attributes of the selected different one of the objects according to a third dimension.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for selecting one of the objects in the provided view, comprises computer usable program code for selecting an activatable icon from among a plurality of activatable icons associated with the selected one of the objects, the selected activatable icon having an association with the second dimension.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code for selecting one of the objects in the provided view, comprises computer usable program code for selecting an activatable icon from among a plurality of activatable icons associated with the selected one of the objects, the selected activatable icon having an association with the second dimension.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer usable program code for selecting one of the objects in the provided view, comprises computer usable program code for selecting an activatable icon from among a plurality of activatable icons associated with the selected one of the objects, the selected activatable icon having an association with the third dimension.