Patent ID: 6425007
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A network navigation and viewing system for use in connection with a network, the network including a plurality of digital devices interconnected by communication links, each device having a device identifier, the network navigation and viewing system facilitating the generation of an image depicting a three-dimensional physical layout of the network, the three-dimensional physical layout depicting the physical locations of the respective devices, the network navigation and viewing system comprising:A. a device identifier information access element for retrieving device identifier information; B. a device graphic image generation element for generating a network layout graphical image for display to an operator, the network layout graphical image comprising a plurality of icons each representing a device, the icons being aggregated in the network layout graphical image to depict the three-dimensional physical layout of the network; and C. an operator control element responsive to the operator initiating a network physical layout image generation operation to enable the device identifier information access element to retrieve the device identifier information for the devices comprising the network, and the device graphic image generation element to generate a three-dimensional physical layout image in response thereto, the operator control element including an operator-actuable icon manipulator for enabling the operator to manipulate the icons in relation to the three-dimensional physical layout image to associate ones of the icons with portions of the three-dimensional physical layout image.