Patent ID: 8161410

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of displaying items arranged in a hierarchy, the hierarchy having predetermined levels and divisions, the method comprising: displaying a plurality of divisions of a first level of the hierarchy along a first direction on a ground pane in a first display area of a display, each division corresponding to a time scale unit; displaying one or more items in one or more of the divisions, wherein each item is displayed in a division based on a time attribute of the item in view of a relationship with a corresponding time scale unit; for each division, determining whether a number of items in the division exceeds a predetermined density threshold, wherein the predetermined density threshold is configurable by a user; aggregating and displaying at least two of the items into a single block in each division if the number of items of that division exceeds the predetermined density threshold; displaying the items on the ground pane in perspective view within the first display area, each item arranged at a position corresponding to the division with which it is associated in a respective second direction at an angle to the first direction; and in response to a selection of one or more divisions displayed on the ground pane in perspective view by highlighting the one or more divisions of the ground pane in order to select a segment of time, displaying one or more attributes of each of the items displayed within the highlighted one or more divisions on a listing pane in a second display area, the listing pane including a plurality of records each corresponding to one of the selected items, each record including displayed therein an author of the item, a brief description of the item, and time in which the item was created or last modified.