Patent ID: 7392488
Filing Date: 2008-06-24
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for displaying hierarchically linked information, said hierarchically linked information comprised of a plurality of nodes each having one or more links to other of said plurality of nodes, said method comprising the steps of: a) dynamically identifying a first focus node for any of said plurality of nodes; b) generating a first degree of interest (DOI) value for each of said plurality of nodes, said degree of interest value relative to said first focus node and sibling order distance from the first focus node and corresponding to a node size; c) laying out said plurality of nodes positioned based on associated links and sized based on associated degree of interest values in a first tree structure; d) identifying and performing any node compression necessary for boundedly displaying said hierarchically linked information based on the layout of said plurality of nodes; e) displaying said hierarchically linked information based on the layout of said plurality of nodes and node compression on a display area; f) detecting that a user has selected a second focus node; g) generating a second degree of interest value for each of said plurality of nodes relative to said second focus node; h) laying out said plurality of nodes positioned based on associated links and sized based on associated second degree of interest values in a second tree structure; i) identifying and performing any node compression necessary for boundedly displaying said hierarchically linked information based on the layout of said plurality of nodes; and j) displaying said hierarchically linked information based on the layout of said plurality of nodes and node compression on the display area.