The present disclosure relates generally to user interfaces, and more specifically, to semantic zooming in regions or areas of a user interface.
A popular method by which data may be presented in a visual interface is a treemap, by which hierarchical, or tree-structured, data are presented using nested or overlapping rectangles. In most cases, each branch of the tree-structured data is represented with a separate rectangle, and sub-branches are represented by smaller rectangles located within the larger “parent” branch rectangle. Further, one or more sub-branches may include even smaller rectangles. This process may continue for an indefinite number of data levels. Also, the area of each rectangle is often proportional to some dimension or aspect of the data being represented by the treemap. In some implementations, the color or shade of each rectangle may represent another data dimension. In situations in which multiple levels of data are involved, the size of the rectangles for the lowest data levels may be exceedingly small.
To enhance readability of data on a display, some systems provide a zooming or zoomable user interface (ZUI), a type of graphical user interface (GUI) in which a user may alter the scale of a display to view details of the display that may otherwise be too small to read or discern. Generally, after “zooming in” to view some portion of the display in detail, the user may then “zoom out” to restore the original scale of the display to view the overall layout of the display, possibly to zoom in to another area of the display. Such zooming may be termed “graphical zoom”, as the relative proportions of the various visual elements that are provided in the display, as well as the visual content provided, are not altered during zooming operations.
The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
The description that follows includes illustrative systems, methods, techniques, instruction sequences, and computing machine program products that embody illustrative embodiments. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of various embodiments of the inventive subject matter. It will be evident, however, to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In general, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail.
Various example methods and systems described below facilitate semantic zooming in a user interface. For example, the user interface may display a number of non-overlapping regions, with each region providing some amount of information associated with that region. In response to a user selecting one of the regions, the selected region may be enlarged, thus allowing the display of more information, possibly including more detailed information, relating to the selected region. In addition, one or more of the other displayed regions are reduced in size so that the regions remain in a non-overlapping state. As a result, details regarding information associated with one of the regions may be displayed while allowing the remaining regions and their associated information to remain in view. Other aspects of the embodiments discussed herein may be ascertained from the following detailed description.
Turning specifically to the enterprise application platform 112, web servers 124, and Application Program Interface (API) servers 125 are coupled to, and provide web and programmatic interfaces to, application servers 126. The application servers 126 are, in turn, shown to be coupled to one or more database servers 128 that may facilitate access to one or more databases 130. The web servers 124, Application Program Interface (API) servers 125, application servers 126, and database servers 128 may host cross-functional services 132. The application servers 126 may further host domain applications 134.
The cross-functional services 132 may provide user services and processes that utilize the enterprise application platform 112. For example, the cross-functional services 132 may provide portal services (e.g., web services), database services, and connectivity to the domain applications 134 for users that operate the client machine 116, the client/server machine 117, and the small device client machine 122. In addition, the cross-functional services 132 may provide an environment for delivering enhancements to existing applications and for integrating third party and legacy applications with existing cross-functional services 132 and domain applications 134. Further, while the system 110 shown in
The portal modules 240 may enable a single point of access to other cross-functional services 132 and domain applications 134 for the client machine 116, the small device client machine 122, and the client/server machine 117 of
The relational database modules 242 may provide support services for access to the database 130 (
The connector and messaging modules 244 may enable communication across different types of messaging systems that are utilized by the cross-functional services 132 and the domain applications 134 by providing a common messaging application processing interface. The connector and messaging modules 244 may enable asynchronous communication on the enterprise application platform 112.
The Application Program Interface (API) modules 246 may enable the development of service-based applications by exposing an interface to existing and new applications as services. Repositories may be included in the platform as a central place to find available services when building applications.
The development modules 248 may provide a development environment for the addition, integration, updating, and extension of software components on the enterprise application platform 112 without impacting existing cross-functional services 132 and domain applications 134.
Turning to the domain applications 134, a customer relationship management application 250 may enable access to and facilitate collecting and storing of relevant personalized information from multiple data sources and business processes. Enterprise personnel that are tasked with developing a buyer into a long-term customer may utilize the customer relationship management application 250 to provide assistance to the buyer throughout a customer engagement cycle.
Enterprise personnel may utilize a financial application 252 and business processes to track and control financial transactions within the enterprise application platform 112. The financial application 252 may facilitate the execution of operational, analytical, and collaborative tasks that are associated with financial management. Specifically, the financial application 252 may enable the performance of tasks related to financial accountability, planning, forecasting, and managing the cost of finance.
A human resources application 254 may be utilized by enterprise personal and business processes to manage, deploy, and track enterprise personnel. Specifically, the human resources application 254 may enable the analysis of human resource issues and facilitate human resource decisions based on real-time information.
A product life cycle management application 256 may enable the management of a product throughout the life cycle of the product. For example, the product life cycle management application 256 may enable collaborative engineering, custom product development, project management, asset management, and quality management among business partners.
A supply chain management application 258 may enable monitoring of performances that are observed in supply chains. The supply chain management application 258 may facilitate adherence to production plans and on-time delivery of products and services.
Third-party applications 260, as well as legacy applications 262, may be integrated with the domain applications 134 and utilize the cross-functional services 132 on the enterprise application platform 112.
The user interface input module 302 may accept input from a user by way of any user input device, such as a keyboard, mouse, or the like. Some embodiments described hereinafter make particular use of a selection button of a mouse (such as the left-side button when operated by a right-handed user) or a scroll wheel of a mouse, but other hardware components of a user input device may be employed in other examples. As discussed below, the input from the user may be utilized to select a region of a display for zooming in or zooming out, to provide user preference information regarding how the regions and associated information are to be displayed, and to facilitate other functionality described below under user control.
The user interface output module 304 may provide the user with a visual display of multiple regions, such as, for example, rectangles or other convex shapes, along with information associated with, and displayed within, each of the regions. Examples of such displays are provided in
The query generation module 306 may generate database queries regarding one or more regions of the display, such as regions specifically selected by the user, and forward the queries to the database module 308. As described below, the queries may include, in some examples, an indication of a region selected by the user, an indication of whether a zoom-in or zoom-out operation is to be performed, and/or the current information or state associated with the selected region. In some implementations, the queries may also specify information related to other regions not currently selected by the user. The query generation module 306 may also receive from the database module 308 a response associated with each forwarded query. The response may include, but is not limited to, the information to be presented in a region, the size of the region to be displayed, and the location of the region to be displayed.
The database module 308 may facilitate the storage and retrieval of information regarding the various regions being presented on a display to the user. Such information may include, for example, the current size and location of each region, as well as the information being presented in each region. In some examples, the information stored via the database module 308 may also include size, location, and/or presentation data for each of the regions presuming one or more zoom-in or zoom-out operations are to be applied thereto. One example of the database module 308 is a relational database, but any other type of storage facility capable of performing the various storage and retrieval functions commensurate with the various examples discussed below may also serve as the database module 308. In some cases, the database data may be stored in the memory of a server or other system, as opposed to an externally-located database, thus facilitating faster read and write access to the information associated with the multiple regions being displayed.
In the method 400A of
Continuing with the method 400A, a user selection of one of the regions for the display of additional or more detailed information is received (operation 404). In one example, the user may indicate the selection by way of activating a left-side selection button of a mouse. In another instance, the user may select the region via activation of a mouse scroll wheel. The user may employ other means to indicate the selection of a region in other embodiments.
In response to the user selection (operation 404), the selected region may be enlarged or increased in area or size (operation 406) to allow the inclusion of more information associated with the selected region. In some examples, the actual size and resulting location of the selected region may be determined by information provided by the database module 308, by preferences provided by the user, or by other sources.
In conjunction with the increased area of the selected region, the amount of information presented in the selected region may also be increased (operation 408). Such information, in one example, may be more detailed information regarding a topic or subject area associated with the selected region. For example, if the information presented in the region prior to its selection is a topic area, the information after selection may include a listing of items related to the topic. Similarly, if the information prior to selection is a listing of items, the information subsequent to the selection may include details regarding at least one of the items. Other examples of added or more detailed information may be involved in other embodiments.
If the total display area consumed by the multiple regions is to remain constant, at least one of the non-selected regions may be reduced in area or size (operation 410), and the information presented in the reduced-area regions may also be reduced (operation 412). As a result, details regarding a particular region may be presented while still allowing direct user access to other regions originally displayed.
In some implementations, each potential size or area of each region, and the associated information to be presented for each particular size of region, may be associated with a predetermined level of detail available. In one specific example, each displayed region may be capable of provide a topic (level 1), a listing of items associated with the topic (level 2), and details associated with one or more of the items (level 3). Further, the user may transition from one level to the next, in increasing or decreasing levels of detail. Specifications regarding the number of the levels, the amount of information associated with that level, the area of the region to be associated with a particular level, and other implementation details, may be specified by software (such as the database module 308 of
While the operations of the method 400 of
Proceeding to
Similar to the method 400A of
In reply, the query generation module 306 may receive a response to the query (operation 506) from the database module 308. The response, in one example, may include response data specifying the area (and possibly the location) of the region of interest to be presented to the user, along with the information to be presented within the region. In one example, the response data may be in the form of one or more data objects. The user interface output module 304 (
In one example, regions that are reduced in area are not completely eliminated from the display. Thus, even though the user is able to peruse more details regarding one of the regions, the other regions remain visible, thus allowing the user to navigate to those regions without zooming out from the current region of interest.
Personal region 604A provides a listing of items 605A associated with the user, Jim. As discussed below, each of these items 605A belongs to one of the four information regions 606A, 608A, 610A, 612A presented in the right-hand side of the display 600A. These information regions include a “Due Today” region 606A, an “Open Tasks” region 608A, a “Projects” region 610A, and a “To Do” region 612A. Each of these regions 606A through 612A may refer to items that are generated by the user (Jim) or other people with which the user collaborates. As shown, the personal region 604A provides more detailed information by providing a list of items 605A, while other regions 606A through 612A provide a region title and a number of items accessible via that region. As shown in
The initial display 600A, including the particular regions 604A through 612A to be displayed, the size and location of each region, and the level of information to be presented to the user in each region, may be initially determined by the database module 308, by the user interface output module 304, by preferences specified by the user, or by some other source. In one example, the initial display 604A is based on default information which the user may modify based on personal preferences.
In one example, the user may select the “To Do” region 612A for enlargement or expansion (zoom-in) by clicking a mouse button, by rotating a mouse click wheel one position, or by some other input mechanism. In response, the display 600B of
To allow for more room for the expanded “To Do” region, the personal region 604B is reduced in size, resulting in removal of the previously listed items 605A, as well as rotation of the title for the personal region 604B (“JIM”) to allow more room for the “To Do” region 612B. The remaining regions (the “Due Today” region 606B, the “Open Tasks” region 608B, and the “Projects” region 610B) are expanded horizontally to occupy display space vacated by the personal region 604B.
If the user selects a zoom-in operation for the “To Do” region 612B once again to request more details regarding that region 612B, the user interface output module 304 may provide the modified display 600C of
As the unselected regions 604C through 610C remain visible, the user is free to select a zoom-in operation for another region, such as the “Open Tasks” region 608C of
To allow the expansion of the “Open Tasks” region 608D, the “To Do” region 612D is reduced in size and relocated toward the bottom of the display area 600D, along with the “Projects” region 610D. As a result, the vertical order of the regions 606D, 608D, 610D, and 612D is maintained to enhance the user's ability to locate the various regions 606D, 608D, 610D, and 612D quickly. The “Due Today” region 606D and the personal region 604D maintain their previous sizes and locations since they are not affected by the expansion of the “Open Tasks” region 608D.
Presuming the user then selects the personal region 604D for a zoom-in operation, the display 600E of
To allocate room for the personal region 604E to display the associated items 605E, each of the remaining regions 606E through 612E on the right-hand side of the display 600E are reduced in size. To facilitate this reduction, the items 609D previously shown in the “Open Tasks” region 608D are removed from view, and the title for each of the regions 606E through 612E are rotated to allow more room for the personal region 604E.
As illustrated in
If the user then exits the expanded item, such as by selecting the “X” in the upper-right corner of the personal region 604F, the regions may revert to the previous display 600E depicted in
In at least some embodiments discussed herein, the semantic zooming functionality facilitates enhanced user navigation of hierarchically-related data. For example, a user may quickly delve into more detailed information regarding a particular topic or area of interest without relinquishing immediate access to other topics. As a result, the user is not required to zoom completely out of a particular region before accessing another, or to scan across a graphical area which may be at least partially hidden from the view of the user due to being graphically zoomed in to a particular area. Accordingly, access to several different areas of information may be provided within a relatively small display area. Such functionality may be advantageous in environments in which display area is limited, such as in mobile communication devices, especially when compared to desktop computers, laptop computers, computer tablets, and the like. However, any type of electronic display area employed to provide differing levels of information in a variety of areas may benefit from application of the various principles disclosed herein.
The machine is capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.
The example of the processing system 700 includes a processor 702 (for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both), a main memory 704 (for example, random access memory), and static memory 706 (for example, static random-access memory), which communicate with each other via bus 708. The processing system 700 may further include video display unit 710 (for example, a plasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The processing system 700 also includes an alphanumeric input device 712 (for example, a keyboard), a user interface (UI) navigation device 714 (for example, a mouse), a disk drive unit 716, a signal generation device 718 (for example, a speaker), and a network interface device 720.
The disk drive unit 716 (a type of non-volatile memory storage) includes a machine-readable medium 722 on which is stored one or more sets of data structures and instructions 724 (for example, software) embodying or utilized by any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The data structures and instructions 724 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 704, the static memory 706, and/or within the processor 702 during execution thereof by processing system 700, with the main memory 704 and processor 702 also constituting machine-readable, tangible media.
The data structures and instructions 724 may further be transmitted or received over a computer network 750 via network interface device 720 utilizing any one of a number of well-known transfer protocols (for example, HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)).
Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic or a number of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules may constitute either software modules (for example, code embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a transmission signal) or hardware modules. A hardware module is a tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain manner. In example embodiments, one or more computer systems (for example, the processing system 700) or one or more hardware modules of a computer system (for example, a processor 702 or a group of processors) may be configured by software (for example, an application or application portion) as a hardware module that operates to perform certain operations as described herein.
In various embodiments, a hardware module may be implemented mechanically or electronically. For example, a hardware module may include dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured (for example, as a special-purpose processor, such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) to perform certain operations. A hardware module may also include programmable logic or circuitry (for example, as encompassed within a general-purpose processor 702 or other programmable processor) that is temporarily configured by software to perform certain operations. It will be appreciated that the decision to implement a hardware module mechanically, in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configured circuitry (for example, configured by software) may be driven by cost and time considerations.
Accordingly, the term “hardware module” should be understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, permanently configured (for example, hardwired) or temporarily configured (for example, programmed) to operate in a certain manner and/or to perform certain operations described herein. Considering embodiments in which hardware modules are temporarily configured (for example, programmed), each of the hardware modules need not be configured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For example, where the hardware modules include a general-purpose processor 702 that is configured using software, the general-purpose processor 702 may be configured as respective different hardware modules at different times. Software may accordingly configure a processor 702, for example, to constitute a particular hardware module at one instance of time and to constitute a different hardware module at a different instance of time.
Modules can provide information to, and receive information from, other modules. For example, the described modules may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Where multiples of such hardware modules exist contemporaneously, communications may be achieved through signal transmissions (such as, for example, over appropriate circuits and buses) that connect the modules. In embodiments in which multiple modules are configured or instantiated at different times, communications between such modules may be achieved, for example, through the storage and retrieval of information in memory structures to which the multiple modules have access. For example, one module may perform an operation and store the output of that operation in a memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. A further module may then, at a later time, access the memory device to retrieve and process the stored output. Modules may also initiate communications with input or output devices, and can operate on a resource (for example, a collection of information).
The various operations of example methods described herein may be performed, at least partially, by one or more processors 702 that are temporarily configured (for example, by software) or permanently configured to perform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, such processors 702 may constitute processor-implemented modules that operate to perform one or more operations or functions. The modules referred to herein may, in some example embodiments, include processor-implemented modules.
Similarly, the methods described herein may be at least partially processor-implemented. For example, at least some of the operations of a method may be performed by one or more processors 702 or processor-implemented modules. The performance of certain of the operations may be distributed among the one or more processors 702, not only residing within a single machine but deployed across a number of machines. In some example embodiments, the processors 702 may be located in a single location (for example, within a home environment, within an office environment, or as a server farm), while in other embodiments, the processors 702 may be distributed across a number of locations.
While the embodiments are described with reference to various implementations and exploitations, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of claims provided below is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In general, the techniques described herein may be implemented with facilities consistent with any hardware system or hardware systems defined herein. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible.
Plural instances may be provided for components, operations, or structures described herein as a single instance. Finally, boundaries between various components, operations, and data stores are somewhat arbitrary, and particular operations are illustrated in the context of specific illustrative configurations. Other allocations of functionality are envisioned and may fall within the scope of the claims. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.