LOGICAL ZOOMING OF A DIRECTED GRAPH

• US 20090158199A1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Valmeti, Sreenivasulu
• Granted Patent: US 9,471,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A method for displaying a relational diagram on a screen where at least one view of the relational diagram is larger than an available viewing area provided by the screen. The method comprises steps of detecting a predetermined action performed on a first element of the relational diagram, determining one or more relevant elements associated with the first element, and modifying a view of the relational diagram to display the first element and the one or more relevant elements on the screen.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a relational diagram on a display, at least one view of the relational diagram being larger than an available viewing area provided by the display, the method comprising:

detecting a predetermined action performed on a first element of the relational diagram;

determining one or more relevant elements associated with the first element; and

modifying a view of the relational diagram to display the first element and the one or more relevant elements on the display.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of

determining which of the one or more relevant elements are outside of a current view of the relational diagram, and

wherein the step of modifying the view comprises

dragging the one or more relevant elements determined to be outside of the current view into the current view of the display.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of modifying the view relocates a current view of the relational diagram to one of the relevant elements or the first element, and the method further comprises the steps of:

determining if any of the relevant elements and the first element are outside of the modified view; and

if it is determined that one or more of the relevant elements and/or the first element is outside of the modified view, dragging such elements determined to be outside of the modified view into the modified view.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the relevant element to which the current view is relocated is determined according to a priority of the relevant elements and the first element.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the relevant element to which the current view is relocated is determined according to a predetermined function.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of applying visual effects to one or more of the first element and the one or more relevant elements.

7. A data carrier signal operable to instruct a computer displaying a relational diagram on a display, whereon at least one view of the relational diagram is larger than an available viewing area provided by the display, to perform a process comprising:

detecting a predetermined action performed on a first element of the relational diagram;

determining one or more relevant elements associated with the first element; and

modifying a view of the relational diagram to display the first element and the one or more relevant elements on the screen.

8. The data carrier signal according to claim 7, further operable to cause a computer to determine which of the one or more relevant elements are outside of a current view of the relational diagram, and wherein the modifying of view comprises dragging the one or more relevant elements determined to be outside of the current view into the current view of the display.

9. The data carrier signal according to claim 7, embodied in a computer readable medium.

10. The data carrier signal according to claim 9, wherein the data carrier signal represents a computer executable program.

11. A computer system operable to display a relational diagram on a display, at least one view of the relational diagram being larger than an available viewing area provided by the display, the computer system comprising:

detection means operable to detect a predetermined action performed on a first element of the relational diagram;

determination mean operable to determine one or more relevant elements associated with the first element; and

view modification means operable to modify a view of the relational diagram to display the first element and the one or more relevant elements on the screen.