Patent ID: 7526542

Claim:
A method for processing information comprising: (a) receiving a partially-defined hierarchical data structure for representing a network of elements, the partially-defined hierarchical data structure comprising one or more levels for receiving information that is added to the partially-defined hierarchical data structure; (b) retrieving a set of elements from a source of information, wherein the set of elements is associated with descriptive data for determining at least one level among the one or more levels on the partially-defined hierarchical data structure for the set of elements, wherein the descriptive data comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a source for a communication associated with the set of elements, a destination for a communication associated with the set of elements, an application type associated with the set of elements, a type of the element of the set of elements, and relationship data for the set of elements; and (c) adding each element among the set of elements to the at least one level among the one or more levels of the partially-defined hierarchical data structure, based at least in part upon the descriptive data.