Patent Document ID: 7814427
Application ID: 11029852

Base Claim:
1. A computer implemented system, having a processor communicatively coupled to a memory, that facilitates design of an object model, comprising: a layout component that receives as input one or more graphs of objects having one or more different kinds of directed relationships, and converts the one or more graphs into an editable treelike structure comprising one or more nodes corresponding to the received graph of objects, wherein at least one of the nodes includes a plurality of changeable graphical symbols displayed on the node that are configured to change graphics upon activation, and wherein, upon activation of a first changeable graphical symbol, the first changeable graphical symbol dynamically expands to display one or more previously unseen inheritance hierarchy graph objects or collapses to hide one or more previously displayed inheritance hierarchy graph objects, and wherein, upon activation of a second changeable graphical symbol, the second changeable graphical symbol dynamically expands to display one or more previously unseen relationship hierarchy graph objects or collapses to hide one or more previously displayed relationship hierarchy graph objects; a presentation component that presents the editable treelike structure and facilitates user interaction therewith, the user interaction comprising: receiving inputs from a user that actuate at least one of the displayed changeable graphical symbols to expand or collapse inheritance hierarchy or relationship hierarchy graph objects and further indicate that at least one of the nodes displayed in the editable treelike structure is to be repositioned within the treelike structure; automatically and dynamically expanding at least a portion of the graph of objects to display one or more previously unseen inheritance hierarchy or relationship hierarchy graph objects or collapsing at least a portion of the graph of objects to hide one or more previously displayed inheritance hierarchy or relationship hierarchy graph objects; and automatically repositioning the node according to the received input, wherein connecting lines attached to the at least one node are automatically adjusted to an optimal position determined based on the structure's real estate; and wherein highlighting or other graphical indications automatically indicate the propagation of future user actions from a selected node of the treelike structure through other nodes having directed relationships to said selected node.

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Claim 7:
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the treelike structure includes class objects.