EP0535986A2
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EP
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Method of operating a processor
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1992-10-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-10-02
Abstract
Abstract An image is presented that includes a node-link structure. The nodes (20,22,24,26) are in rows, and each row extends across a centering line (30,32). The rows are in sequence along the centering line (30,32), with links (28) between nodes in adjacent rows. When a user requests a centering operation for an indicated node (22), a sequence of images (12) is presented, each including a row that appears to be a continuation of the row with the indicated node (22) and that includes a continued indicated node (42) that appears to be a continuation of the indicated node (22). The rows appear to be shifted, bringing the continued indicated nodes toward the centering line (50,52), until a final shift locks the continued indicated node into position at the centering line (50,52). The positions of the indicated node (22) and a subset of the continued indicated nodes (42) together can define an asymptotic path that begins at the position of the indicated node (22) and approaches the centering line (30,32) asymptotically until the final shift occurs. The displacements between positions can follow a logarithmic function, with each displacement being a proportion of the distance from the preceding position to the centering line (30,32). Each step can include an animation loop. If the node-link structure represents a hierarchical body of data with each node representing a data item, the indicated node's descendants and ancestors within the hierarchy can also be shifted to the centering line. Each node can be rectangular, and the nodes in each row can be separated by equal offsets to provide compact rows. Each node can be a selectable unit, so that the user can request a centering operation by selecting a node, such as with a mouse click.
Inventors
- 👤 George G. Robertson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/93; G06F16/94
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
478 words
A method of operating a processor (302) connected for providing image data to an image output device that includes a display (306), characterised by presenting an initial image (10), the initial image (10) including an initial node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface; the initial node-link structure including an initial plurality of nodes (20,22) arranged in a plurality of rows, each node being in a respective one of the rows; the initial node-link structure having a centering line (30,32) across which each row extends, the rows being ordered in a sequence along the centering line (30,32); the initial node-link structure further including an initial plurality of links (28), each of the initial plurality of links (28) being perceptible as connecting two of the initial plurality of nodes, the two connected nodes being in respective rows that are next to each other in the sequence; receiving a request for centering of a set of one or more indicated nodes (22) in the initial node-link structure; in response to the signal from the user, determining whether each of the indicated nodes (22) is at the centering line (30,32) of the initial node-link structure; and if any of the indicated nodes (22) is not at the centering line (30,32) of the initial node-link structure, presenting one or more subsequent images (12), each subsequent image (12) including a respective subsequent node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface; each subsequent node-link structure including a respective plurality of nodes (40,42) arranged in a plurality of rows, each node being in a respective one of the rows; each subsequent node-link structure having a centering line (50,52) across which each row extends, the rows being ordered in a sequence along the centering line; each subsequent node-link structure further including a respective plurality of links (48), each of the plurality of links (48) being perceptible as connecting two of the plurality of nodes, the two connected nodes being in respective rows that are next to each other in the sequence; each of the plurality of nodes (40,42) of each subsequent node-link structure being perceptible as a continuation of a respective one of the initial plurality of nodes (20,22) so that the plurality of nodes (40,42) of each subsequent node-link structure includes, for each of the indicated nodes, a respective continued indicated node (42) that is perceptible as a continuation of the indicated node (22); the rows of each subsequent node-link structure being perceptible as continuations of the rows of the initial node-link structure, with each row that includes one of the indicated nodes that is not at the centering line shifted to position the respective continued indicated node (42) at the centering line (50,52) of the subsequent node-link structure or shifted to move the respective continued indicated node (42) toward the centering line (50,52) of the subsequent node-link structure.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
478 words
A method of operating a processor (302) connected for providing image data to an image output device that includes a display (306), characterised by presenting an initial image (10), the initial image (10) including an initial node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface; the initial node-link structure including an initial plurality of nodes (20,22) arranged in a plurality of rows, each node being in a respective one of the rows; the initial node-link structure having a centering line (30,32) across which each row extends, the rows being ordered in a sequence along the centering line (30,32); the initial node-link structure further including an initial plurality of links (28), each of the initial plurality of links (28) being perceptible as connecting two of the initial plurality of nodes, the two connected nodes being in respective rows that are next to each other in the sequence; receiving a request for centering of a set of one or more indicated nodes (22) in the initial node-link structure; in response to the signal from the user, determining whether each of the indicated nodes (22) is at the centering line (30,32) of the initial node-link structure; and if any of the indicated nodes (22) is not at the centering line (30,32) of the initial node-link structure, presenting one or more subsequent images (12), each subsequent image (12) including a respective subsequent node-link structure that is perceptible as lying on a plane-like surface; each subsequent node-link structure including a respective plurality of nodes (40,42) arranged in a plurality of rows, each node being in a respective one of the rows; each subsequent node-link structure having a centering line (50,52) across which each row extends, the rows being ordered in a sequence along the centering line; each subsequent node-link structure further including a respective plurality of links (48), each of the plurality of links (48) being perceptible as connecting two of the plurality of nodes, the two connected nodes being in respective rows that are next to each other in the sequence; each of the plurality of nodes (40,42) of each subsequent node-link structure being perceptible as a continuation of a respective one of the initial plurality of nodes (20,22) so that the plurality of nodes (40,42) of each subsequent node-link structure includes, for each of the indicated nodes, a respective continued indicated node (42) that is perceptible as a continuation of the indicated node (22); the rows of each subsequent node-link structure being perceptible as continuations of the rows of the initial node-link structure, with each row that includes one of the indicated nodes that is not at the centering line shifted to position the respective continued indicated node (42) at the centering line (50,52) of the subsequent node-link structure or shifted to move the respective continued indicated node (42) toward the centering line (50,52) of the subsequent node-link structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the indicated node in the initial image is perceptible as having a respective position and the continued indicated node in the respective image of each image output step is perceptible as having a respective position, the respective positions of the indicated node in the initial image and the continued indicated nodes in the respective images of a subset of the image output steps together defining an asymptotic path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the respective position of each of the continued indicated nodes in the respective images of the subset of the image output steps is displaced by a respective displacement from the respective position of a next preceding step; the respective displacements of the continued indicated nodes in the respective images of the subset of the image output steps following a logarithmic function.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the respective position of each of the continued indicated nodes in the respective images of the subset of the image output steps is at a respective distance from the centering line; the respective displacement of each continued indicated node in the respective images of the subset of the image output steps being a proportion of the respective distance of the next preceding step.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
69 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the sequence of image output steps includes a last shift step, the last shift step following the subset of the image output steps; the last shift step's continued indicated node being at the centering line so that a next preceding step's continued indicated node is perceptible as locking into position at the centering line.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
119 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the processor is further connected for accessing a body of data that includes a hierarchy of data items, the hierarchy including a plurality of levels, each data item being at a respective one of the levels; the first and second node-link structures each representing the body of data, each node representing a respective one of the data items, each row including nodes representing data items at a respective level of the hierarchy of data items, the links representing hierarchical relationships between data items; the rows being ordered in the sequence along the centering line according to the respective levels of the hierarchy data items.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, characterised in this the levels of the hierarchy of data items include a top level and a plurality of lower levels, each lower level having a next higher level; each node in a row representing a lower level having a link to a respective parent node in a row representing the lower level's next higher level.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
130 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the determining step comprises a substep of determining whether the indicated node has a respective parent node and, if so, whether the indicated node's parent node is atthe centering line of the first node-link structure;if the indicated node has a respective parent node, the second plurality of nodes including a continued parent node that is perceptible as a continuation of the parent node; the continued parent node being at the centering line of the second node-link structure, so that if the indicated node's parent node is not at the centering line of the first node- link structure, the parent node's row is perceptible as shifted to position the continued parent node at the centering line of the second node-link structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
125 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the determining step comprises a substep of determining whether the first node-link structure includes child nodes whose respective parent node is the indicated node; if the first node-link structure includes child nodes whose respective parent node is the indicated node, the second plurality of nodes including continued child nodes that are perceptible as continuations of the child nodes; the continued child nodes being at the centering line of the second node-link structure, so that if the child nodes are not at the centering line of the first node-link structure, the row that includes the child nodes is perceptible as shifted to position the continued child nodes at the centering line of the second node-link structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the set of nodes includes a root node representing a data item at the top level of the hierarchy and a number of lower level nodes, each lower level node's parent node being in the set so that the set includes a lowest node and all ancestors of the lowest node.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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