Displaying nodes visually offset from associated components

• US 8,988,460 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kamiyama, Yoshiroh, Shima, Kotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarka, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRINGLE-PARKER, JASON A
• Application Number:
  US13/141,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20120146996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/629
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A display apparatus configured to move a drag object on a screen in accordance with an operation of a pointer. The display apparatus can include a detection unit configured to detect a target object on the screen, the target object being a destination of the drag object, and a display control unit configured to display the drag object in a position closer to the target object than a display position of the pointer moved in accordance with an operation performed by a user.

Claims

1. A computer hardware system, comprising:

at least one hardware processor configured to initiate and/or perform;

outputting, to a display screen, a plurality of concurrently-displayed software components;

outputting, to the display screen, a protection layer between a first layer and a second layer;

outputting, to the display screen, two nodes respectively associated with two of the plurality of software components; and

outputting, to the display screen and responsive to a selection of the two nodes, a link connecting the two nodes, wherein

a first of the two nodes is graphically linked to the software component to which the first node is associated,

the first node displays a selected property of the software component to which the first node is associated,

the plurality of software components are disposed in the first layer,

the plurality of nodes are disposed in the second layer, and

the protection layer prevents selection of the plurality of components in the first layer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein

the first node is graphically linked to the software component with a three-dimensional shape, and

the three-dimensional shape includes

the one node as one portion and

the associated software component as a second portion.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein

the one node is an upper face of the three-dimensional shape,

the associated software component is a lower face of the three-dimensional shape.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein

the three-dimensional shape is a truncated pyramid.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein

the link is based upon the selected property.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein

a second of the two nodes is associated with a tab of one of a plurality of windows.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to initiate and/or perform:

displaying a plurality of tabs respectively associated with a plurality of windows, and

maintaining, upon a selection of a new tab, display of the two nodes and the link connecting the two nodes.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to initiate and/or perform:

outputting, to the display screen, a shadow for each of the two nodes.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein

the protection layer is semi-transparent.

10. A computer program product, comprising:

a storage device having stored therein computer-readable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware device, causes the computer hardware device to perform;

outputting, to a display screen, a plurality of concurrently-displayed software components;

outputting, to the display screen, a protection layer between a first layer and a second layer;

outputting, to the display screen, two nodes respectively associated with two of the plurality of software components; and

outputting, to the display screen and responsive to a selection of the two nodes, a link connecting the two nodes, wherein

a first of the two nodes is graphically linked to the software component to which the first node is associated,

the first node displays a selected property of the software component to which the first node is associated,

the plurality of software components are disposed in the first layer,

the plurality of nodes are disposed in the second layer, and

the protection layer prevents selection of the plurality of components in the first layer.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein

the first node is graphically linked to the software component with a three-dimensional shape, and

the three-dimensional shape includes

the one node as one portion and

the associated software component as a second portion.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein

the one node is an upper face of the three-dimensional shape,

the associated software component is a lower face of the three-dimensional shape.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein

the three-dimensional shape is a truncated pyramid.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein

the link is based upon the selected property.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein

a second of the two nodes is associated with a tab of one of a plurality of windows.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable program code further causes the computer hardware device to perform:

displaying a plurality of tabs respectively associated with a plurality of windows, and

maintaining, upon a selection of a new tab, display of the two nodes and the link connecting the two nodes.

17. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable program code further causes the computer hardware device to perform:

outputting, to the display screen, a shadow for each of the two nodes.

18. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein

the protection layer is semi-transparent.