Patent ID: 7661076

Claim:
Within a computing system that uses a graph-like visual language to model graphical diagrams for such things as a system, service, or process or that represent an overall object system, that typically require manual modification and rescaling, a method for dynamically laying out the diagrams into a two dimensional tree-like structure to allow ease of user interaction with and optimal display thereof, the method comprising: displaying a graphical tree-like structure that includes at least one branch starting at a root of the graphical tree-like structure and including two or more sub-portions for representing an overall object model in terms of functional relationships and internal behaviors for two or more objects, attributes, operations, associations, wherein the two or more sub-portions are configured to be modified in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, wherein each sub-portion includes a user interactive element and a shape that are connected with a line, each sub-portion being connected to another sub-portion such that the user interactive element of one sub-portion is displayed adjacent to the shape of another sub-portion, each user interactive element being selectable to expand or collapse the corresponding sub-portion; receiving user interaction that selects the user interactive element of a first sub-portion of the one or more sub-portions of the graphical tree-like structure, wherein the first sub-portion is expanded prior to the selection, the first sub-portion being connected to a second sub-portion; and based on the user interaction, dynamically collapsing the first sub-portion to allow for ease of user interaction, optimization of the display of the graphical tree-like structure, or both, by displaying only the first user interactive element in place of the first sub-portion such that the first user interactive element is displayed adjacent to and connected to a second user interactive element corresponding to the second sub-portion.