Scalable user interface for graphically representing hierarchical data

• US 6,252,597 B1
• Filed: 02/14/1997
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Netscape Communications Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lokuge, Ishantha
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROSSI, JEFFREY A
• Application Number:
  US08/800,862
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 345/353, 345/357, 382/298
• US Class Current: 715/841
• 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

A graphical user interface provides a scalable information structure. Interactive categories are displayed as expansive locations on a display as part of a desktop. In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, each category in a tier of an information structure occupies a dedicated expansive location in a list displayed within a defined region on the display. A location occupied by a selected category is expanded or compressed to display the next tier in the information hierarchy as a list, or as a cluster. Remaining locations are resized to accommodate newly-displayed contents within the defined region. The list is directly scrolled by selecting and moving locations with a pointing device. In a second, equally preferred embodiment of the invention, expansive locations are displayed as a cluster arrangement. A selected cluster is highlighted and expanded to display the next tier in the information hierarchy as a list, or as a cluster. Any previously-selected cluster is deselected and contracted. An expansive location may include a text descriptor, a test command, or a pictorial icon. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Email, or cached WWW page links may also be embedded within a list.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for viewing a hyperbolically scalable linear information structure, comprising:

a display upon which an interactive graphical user interface may be viewed, said interactive graphical user interface including at least one defined region on said display;

a scalable user-accessible linear information structure displayed within said region and having at least one expansive location denoting an information object; and

a selection device for selecting said at least one expansive location to display linearly said information object denoted by said expansive location;

means for the contents of said information object corresponding to said selected expansive location to be displayed linearly within said region;

means for information otherwise contained within said region to be compressed linearly to accommodate the entirety of said information object contents within said region; and

means for said expansive location to be movable linearly to any location within said defined region, while maintaining compression of said other information in said defined region,

wherein the term linear means in a vertical or horizontal direction on said display, and expansion and compression is performed hyperbolically.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least a second expansive location, wherein said second expansive location is compressed in response to the selection of said first expansive location.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said scalable information structure comprises a list.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said scalable information structure comprises at least a first cluster.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

at least a second cluster, wherein, upon highlighting or selection of said first cluster, said second cluster display is contracted and said first cluster is enlarged.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

at least a second cluster, wherein, upon highlighting or selection of said first cluster, said first cluster is moved to a central portion of said display screen.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pointing device is used to select said expansive location at a first location within said defined region, and to drag said expansive device to a second location.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the contents of said expansive location comprise a cluster.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the contents of said expansive location comprise a list.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said expansive locations are selected from the group consisting of text commands, text descriptors, and pictorial icons.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) link is embedded within said expansive location.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cached World Wide Web page is embedded within said expansive location.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interactive graphical user interface is implemented as part of an operating system for a computer system.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interactive graphical user interface is implemented at least in part as one of a screen saver, browser, software program, module, or networking application for said computer system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interactive graphical user interface is implemented at least in part as a Java application.

16. A graphical user interface for viewing a hyperbolical scalable linear information structure comprising:

an interactive graphical user interface for viewing said scalable linear information structure on a display;

said interactive graphical user interface comprising at least one defined region on said display;

said region comprising at least one expansive location representing an information object;

means for selecting said at least one expansive location to display linearly said information object represented by said expansive location within said region;

means for said expansive location to be movable linearly to any location within said defined region, while maintaining a compression of other information in said defined region; and

wherein said other information contained within said region is compressed linearly to accommodate the entirety of said information object, as well as the entirety of said other information contained within said region, all within said defined region, and

wherein the term linear means in a vertical or horizontal direction on said display, and expansion and compression is performed hyperbolically.

17. The structure of claim 16, further comprising:

at least a second expansive location, wherein said second expansive location is compressed in response to the selection of said first expansive location.

18. The structure of claim 16, wherein said scalable information structure comprises a list.

19. The structure of claim 16, wherein said scalable information structure comprises a cluster.

20. The structure of claim 19, wherein animation is used to contract a second cluster display and enlarge said first cluster display upon highlighting or selection of said first cluster.

21. The structure of claim 20, wherein said first cluster is moved to a central portion of said display screen upon selection.

22. The structure of claim 16, wherein a pointing device is used within said defined region to directly select said expansive location at a first location, and to drag said expansive device to a second location.

23. The structure of claim 18, wherein the contents of said expansive location comprise a cluster.

24. The structure of claim 19, wherein the contents of said expansive location comprise a list.

25. A method for providing a graphical user interface, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one defined region on a computer display;

displaying linearly within said defined region a hyperbolically scalable user-accessible linear information structure having at least one expansive location representing an information object;

selecting said at least one expansive location to display linearly said information object represented by said expansive location;

compressing linearly information otherwise contained within said region to accommodate the entirety of a file structure, as well as said information otherwise contained within said region, all within said defined region; and

providing means for said expansive location to be movable linearly to any location within said defined region, while maintaining compression of said other information in said defined region,

wherein the term linear means in a vertical or horizontal direction on said display, and expansion and compression is performed hyperbolically.

26. A graphical user interface for viewing a hyperbolically scalable linear information structure, comprising:

an interactive graphical user interface for viewing said scalable linear information structure on a display;

said interactive graphical user interface comprising at least one defined region on said display;

said region comprising at least one expansive location representing an information object;

means for selecting said at least one expansive location to display linearly said information object represented by said expansive location within said region;

a hyperbolic scaling means for linearly altering information otherwise contained within said region to accommodate the entirety of said information object, as well as the entirety of said information otherwise contained within said region, all within said defined region; and

wherein said expansive location is movable linearly to any location within said defined region, while maintaining alteration of said other information in said defined region;

wherein the contents of said information object corresponding to said selected expansive location are linearly displayed within said region;

wherein information otherwise contained within said region is compressed linearly to accommodate the entirety of said information object contents within said region; and

wherein the term linear means in a vertical or horizontal direction on said display, and expansion and compression is performed hyperbolically.

27. A graphical user interface for viewing a scalable information structure, comprising:

an interactive graphical user interface for viewing said scalable information structure on a display;

said interactive graphical user interface comprising at least one defined region on said display;

said region comprising at least one indentable location representing an information object;

means for selecting said at least one indentable location to indent said information object; and

means for dynamically scaling the indentation of said information object upon selection and indentation of a second information object located at an indentable location within said first information object;

a scalable user-accessible information structure displayed within said region and having at least one expansive location denoting an information object; and

a selection device for selecting said at least one expansive location to display said information object denoted by said expansive location;

wherein the contents of said information object corresponding to said selected expansive location are displayed within said region; and

wherein information otherwise contained within said region is compressed to accommodate the entirety of said information object contents within said region.

28. The structure of claim 27, wherein said indentation is dynamically scaled by a hyperbolic scaling algorithm.