Patent ID: 7861152

Claim:
A display apparatus for visualizing the assignment of applications to multiple processes performed in connection with multiple products, the apparatus comprising: an input device operable to receive assignment data defining an assignment of applications to processes performed in connection with products; a matrix definition component operable to define a matrix comprising columns representing the products and multiple cells arranged in multiple rows, each row representing a specific process used for at least one of the products; a cell assignment component operable to create, for a selected cell from a current row and a current column that specifies a selected process and a selected product, a content container that identifies specific applications assigned to the selected process performed for the selected product; an evaluation component operable to, for the selected cell: read the content container for the selected cell to determine a selected application from among the specific applications assigned to the selected cell; select a presentation direction for the selected application from a first direction substantially parallel to the rows and a second direction substantially parallel to the columns of the matrix, based on an analysis of how many additional content containers in the current row and the current column identify the selected application; define a presentation box extending in the presentation direction over one or more of the cells, including the selected cell and additional cells in which the selected application is identified and which are positioned in the presentation direction side-by-side to each other adjacent to the current cell; determine an application identification pattern for presentation in the presentation box; and determine a minimum size of the presentation box for enclosing the application identification pattern; determine a minimum width of the columns and a minimum height of the rows of the matrix for enclosing the at least one presentation box; and an output device operable to display the matrix and the presentation box enclosing the application identification pattern.