Graphic visualization for large-scale networking

• US 9,092,744 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sap Portals Israel Ltd (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Sap Portals Israel Ltd (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Tito, Meni
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Angela
• Application Number:
  US13/449,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/00 Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks

Abstract

Systems, computer implemented methods, and engines are directed to identifying a network of associations for a user. A visualization of the network of associations may be provided as a graph, the graph having an edge and a node, the node representing a member of the network of associations and the edge representing an association between the member and the user.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

identifying a network of associations for a first user with a plurality of second users according to a plurality of relation types, each relation type defining a type of relationship between the first user and a second user of the plurality of second users;

displaying, in a user interface, a plurality of objects, each object representing a relationship type;

receiving, in the user interface, a selection of a relation type;

in response to receiving the selection of the relation type;

identifying, from the network of associations, a sub-network of associations of the selected relation type for the first user with one or more second users, wherein the sub-network of associations includes first tier associations and second tier associations that are weaker than the first tier associations;

displaying, in the user interface, a visualization of the sub-network of associations of the selected relation type as a graph, the graph having an edge and a node, the node representing the one or more second users of the sub-network of associations and the edge representing an association between the one or more second users and the first user;

determining that insufficient space is available to display all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user;

in response to determining that insufficient space is available to display all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user;

clustering nodes that represent all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user into a single node; and

displaying the single node in the user interface to represent all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network of associations comprises multi-layered data, wherein the multi-layered data includes one or more of group associations, hierarchical organization relevancy, behavior patterns, relevancy, priority, frequency, while maintaining user navigation history.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising clustering the nodes that represent all of the second users based on a relevancy factor of the nodes that represent all of the second users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected relation type specifies a reporting structure between the first user and the one or more second users in the sub-network, and wherein the method further comprises displaying, in the user interface and on an edge that connects a node representing the first user and a node representing a second user in the sub-network, an arrow in a direction that indicates the reporting structure between the first user and the second user in the sub-network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a recommendation to the user to adjust the graph based on a metric associated with the network of associations.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking a viewing history for the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the received selection of the relation type is a first selection of a first relation type, wherein the sub-network of associations is a first sub-network of associations, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, in the user interface, a second selection of a second relation type that is different from the first relation type;

in response to receiving the second selection of the second relation type;

identifying, from the network of associations, a second sub-network of associations of the selected second relation type for the first user with one or more second users; and

displaying, in the user interface, a visualization of the second sub-network of associations of the selected relation type as a graph, the graph having an edge and a node, the node representing the one or more second users of the second sub-network of associations and the edge representing an association between the one or more second users and the first user.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more computer systems to perform operations comprising:

identifying a network of associations for a first user with a plurality of second users according to a plurality of relation types, each relation type defining a type of relationship between the first user and a second user of the plurality of second users;

displaying, in a user interface, a plurality of objects, each object representing a relationship type;

receiving, in the user interface, a selection of a relation type;

in response to receiving the selection of the relation type;

identifying, from the network of associations, a sub-network of associations of the selected relation type for the first user with one or more second users;

displaying, in the user interface, a visualization of the sub-network of associations of the selected relation type as a graph, the graph having an edge and a node, the node representing the one or more second users of the sub-network of associations and the edge representing an association between the one or more second users and the first user;

determining that insufficient space is available to display all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user;

in response to determining that insufficient space is available to display all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user;

clustering nodes that represent all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user into a single node; and

displaying the single node in the user interface to represent all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the network of associations comprises multi-layered data, wherein the multi-layered data includes one or more of group associations, hierarchical organization relevancy, behavior patterns, relevancy, priority, frequency, while maintaining user navigation history.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein providing the visualization of node clusters is further based on a relevancy factor of nodes in the nodes cluster.

11. The medium of claim 8, wherein the nodes are visualized having visual characteristics for providing a visual representation of the relevancy to a user selected visualization preference.

12. The medium of claim 8, further comprising providing a recommendation to the user to adjust the graph based on a metric associated with the network of associations.

13. The medium of claim 8, further comprising tracking a viewing history for the user.

14. The medium of claim 8, wherein the received selection of the relation type is a first selection of a first relation type, wherein the sub-network of associations is a first sub-network of associations, and wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, in the user interface, a second selection of a second relation type that is different from the first relation type;

in response to receiving the second selection of the second relation type;

identifying, from the network of associations, a second sub-network of associations of the selected second relation type for the first user with one or more second users; and

displaying, in the user interface, a visualization of the second sub-network of associations of the selected relation type as a graph, the graph having an edge and a node, the node representing the one or more second users of the second sub-network of associations and the edge representing an association between the one or more second users and the first user.

15. A system for providing a graphic visualization of a network of associations comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a memory for storing instructions, the instructions operable when executed by the hardware processor to perform operations comprising;

identifying a network of associations for a first user with a plurality of second users according to a plurality of relation types, each relation type defining a type of relationship between the first user and a second user of the plurality of second users;

displaying, in a user interface, a plurality of objects, each object representing a relationship type;

receiving, in the user interface, a selection of a relation type;

in response to receiving the selection of the relation type;

identifying, from the network of associations, a sub-network of associations of the selected relation type for the first user with one or more second users;

displaying, in the user interface, a visualization of the sub-network of associations of the selected relation type as a graph, the graph having an edge and a node, the node representing the one or more second users of the sub-network of associations and the edge representing an association between the one or more second users and the first user;

determining that insufficient space is available to display all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user;

in response to determining that insufficient space is available to display all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user;

clustering nodes that represent all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user into a single node; and

displaying the single node in the user interface to represent all of the second users that have second tier associations with the first user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the network of associations comprises multi-layered data, wherein the multi-layered data includes one or more of group associations, hierarchical organization relevancy, behavior patterns, relevancy, priority, frequency, while maintaining user navigation history.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein providing the visualization of node clusters is further based on a relevancy factor of nodes in the nodes cluster.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the nodes are visualized having visual characteristics for providing a visual representation of the relevancy to a user selected visualization preference.

19. The system of claim 15, the operations further comprising providing a recommendation to the user to adjust the graph based on a metric associated with the network of associations.

20. The system of claim 15, the operations further comprising tracking a viewing history for the user.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, in the user interface, a second selection of a second relation type that is different from the first relation type;

in response to receiving the second selection of the second relation type;

identifying, from the network of associations, a second sub-network of associations of the selected second relation type for the first user with one or more second users; and

displaying, in the user interface, a visualization of the second sub-network of associations of the selected relation type as a graph, the graph having an edge and a node, the node representing the one or more second users of the second sub-network of associations and the edge representing an association between the one or more second users and the first user.