IP Library › Granted Patent US 12705260

Granted Patent B2

US 12705260 · App. 18/463,195 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

User-defined graphical cross-layout with intersection areas representing two-dimensional group membership and non-intersection areas representing one-dimensional group membership

Inventors: Kevin M. Ellsworth (Sandy, UT); Kevin J. Reece (South Jordan, UT); Jonathan Bronson (Salt Lake City, UT)

Assignee: LUCID SOFTWARE, INC.

G06F16/288 G06F3/04812 G06F3/04842 G06F16/287

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12705260
App. No.: 18/463,195
Granted: Aug 11, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

In an example, a computer-implemented method to modify a displayed hierarchy of a graphical diagram includes displaying, on a display device, a graphical diagram with multiple graphical objects. The method includes receiving input effective to modify a hierarchy of the graphical diagram, the hierarchy including two or more hierarchical levels. The method includes rearranging the graphical diagram according to the modified hierarchy, including rearranging at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the modified hierarchy.

Claims (76)

1 . A computer-implemented method to display graphical diagrams, the method comprising:

displaying, on a display device, a graphical diagram with a plurality of graphical objects, the plurality of graphical objects representing a plurality of data objects, resources, or nodes that are arranged hierarchically in structured source data, wherein the structured source data defines a hierarchy including two or more hierarchical levels, and wherein each data object, resource, or node in the structured source data belongs to one or more groups defined at a given hierarchical level of the hierarchy;

receiving input effective to modify a hierarchy of the graphical diagram, the hierarchy including two or more hierarchical levels, including receiving input effective to enable a cross-layout in which first and second group categories each representing a different grouping category at a first hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels are both enabled simultaneously; and

rearranging the graphical diagram using a recursive algorithm that traverses the hierarchical levels of the structured source data according to the modified hierarchy, including:

displaying on the display device a row of one or more first graphical containers that represent one or more first groups of the first group category and a column of one or more second graphical containers that represent one or more second groups of the second group category, the row of one or more first graphical containers and the column of one or more second graphical containers arranged to intersect each other; and

rearranging at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the modified hierarchy includes positioning the at least some of the graphical objects in intersection areas or non-intersection areas of the one or more first graphical containers and the one or more second graphical containers according to membership of corresponding data objects, resources, or nodes represented by the at least some of the plurality of graphical objects in one or both of a corresponding first or second group in the structured source data, wherein a graphical object is positioned in an intersection area when its corresponding data object, resource, or node belongs to both a group of the first group category and a group of the second group category as defined in the structured source data, and is positioned in a non-intersection area when its corresponding data object, resource, or node belongs to only one of the first group category or the second group category as defined in the structured source data.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

receiving the second input effective to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram includes receiving input effective to disable or enable a group category at a first hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels; and

rearranging the graphical diagram according to the further modified hierarchy includes one of:

removing from the first hierarchical level of the graphical diagram on the display device one or more graphical containers that respectively represent one or more groups of the group category in response to receiving input effective to disable the group category; or

adding to the first hierarchical level of the graphical diagram on the display device one or more graphical containers that respectively represent one or more groups of the group category in response to receiving input effective to enable the group category.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, including rearranging at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

receiving the second input effective to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram includes receiving input effective to disable the first group category at the first hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels;

one or more first subsets of the plurality of graphical objects respectively belong to the one or more first groups;

rearranging the at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the further modified hierarchy includes rearranging graphical objects of the one or more first subsets on the display device according to their membership in the one or more second groups of the second group category in the structured source data.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

the method further comprises, prior to receiving the input effective to enable the cross-layout, receiving second input effective to enable the first group category at the first hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels;

one or more subsets of the plurality of graphical objects respectively belong to the one or more first groups;

the method further comprises, prior to rearranging the at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the modified hierarchy, adding the one or more first graphical containers to the graphical diagram on the display device arranged in the graphical diagram at the first hierarchical level;

the one or more first graphical containers respectively represent the one or more first groups of the first group category; and

the method further comprises, prior to rearranging the at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the modified hierarchy, rearranging graphical objects of the one or more subsets into the one or more first graphical containers on the display device according to their membership in the one or more groups.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

receiving the second input effective to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram includes receiving input effective to disable the cross-layout in which the first and second group categories at the first hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels are both enabled simultaneously; and

rearranging the graphical diagram according to the further modified hierarchy includes removing from the first hierarchical level of the graphical diagram on the display device the one or more first graphical containers that respectively represent the one or more first groups of the first group category and rearranging on the display device graphical objects belonging to the one or more first groups according to their membership in the one or more second groups represented by the one or more second graphical containers.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, including rearranging at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

rearranging the graphical diagram according to the further modified hierarchy includes removing from the first hierarchical level of the graphical diagram on the display device the one or more first graphical containers that respectively represent the one or more first groups of the first group category, the one or more first graphical containers prior to removal arranged in the row that intersects the column of the one or more second graphical containers that respectively represent the one or more second groups of the second group category; and

rearranging the at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the further modified hierarchy includes positioning on the display device graphical objects belonging to the one or more first groups within or without one or more other currently displayed graphical containers according to their membership in one or more other groups represented by the one or more other currently displayed graphical containers.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

receiving the second input effective to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram includes receiving input effective to move the first group category from the first hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels to a second hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels; and

rearranging the graphical diagram according to the further modified hierarchy includes one of:

expanding one of the one or more first graphical containers that represents one of the one or more first groups of the first group category to surround a third graphical container that represents a third group of a third group category at a lower hierarchical level in the modified hierarchy than the first group category, the third graphical container surrounding the first graphical container prior to the rearranging and the third group category at a higher hierarchical level than the first group category prior to the modifying; or

reducing one of the one or more first graphical containers that represents one of the one or more first groups of the first group category to be surrounded by a third graphical container that represents a third group of a third group category at a higher hierarchical level in the modified hierarchy than the first group category, the third graphical container being surrounded by the third graphical container prior to the rearranging and the third group category at a lower hierarchical level than the first group category prior to the modifying.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the method further comprising enforcing semantic constraints derived from the structured source data when rearranging the graphical diagram according to the modified hierarchy.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving second input effective to switch between two different visualization techniques, wherein the two different visualization techniques include:

a containment visualization technique in which graphical objects that are associated with a group in a group category at a higher hierarchical level than the graphical objects are displayed within a graphical container that represents the group; and

an association visualization technique in which graphical objects that are associated with a group in a group category at a higher hierarchical level than the graphical objects are displayed with a graphical badge that indicates a given graphical object is associated with a given group.

10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to perform or control performance of operations comprising:

receiving input effective to modify a hierarchy of the graphical diagram, the hierarchy including two or more hierarchical levels, including receiving input effective to enable a cross-layout in which first and second group categories each representing a different grouping category a first hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels are both enabled simultaneously; and

rearranging the graphical diagram using a recursive algorithm that traverses the hierarchical levels of the structured source data according to the modified hierarchy, including;

rearranging the at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the modified hierarchy includes positioning the at least some of the graphical objects in intersection areas or non-intersection areas of the one or more first graphical containers and the one or more second graphical containers according to membership of corresponding data objects, resources, or nodes represented by the at least some of the plurality of graphical objects in one or both of a corresponding first or second group in the structured source data, wherein a graphical object is positioned in an intersection area when its corresponding data object, resource, or node belongs to both a group of the first group category and a group of the second group category as defined in the structured source data, and is positioned in a non-intersection area when its corresponding data object, resource, or node belongs to only one of the first group category or the second group category as defined in the structured source data.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , the operations further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

rearranging the graphical diagram according to the further modified hierarchy includes one of:

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , the operations further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, including rearranging at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

one or more first subsets of the plurality of graphical objects respectively belong to the one or more first groups;

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein:

one or more subsets of the plurality of graphical objects respectively belong to the one or more first groups;

the one or more first graphical containers respectively represent the one or more first groups of the first group category; and

the operations further comprise, prior to rearranging the at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the modified hierarchy, rearranging graphical objects of the one or more subsets into the one or more first graphical containers on the display device according to their membership in the one or more groups.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , the operations further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , the operations further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, including rearranging at least some of the plurality of graphical objects according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

rearranging the graphical diagram according to the further modified hierarchy includes removing from the first hierarchical level of the graphical diagram on the display device the one or more first graphical containers that respectively represent the one or more first groups of the first group category, the one or more first graphical containers prior to removal arranged in the row that intersects the column of the one or more second graphical containers that respectively represent the one or more second groups of the second group category; and

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , the operations further comprising, receiving second input to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram and rearranging the graphical diagram using the recursive algorithm according to the further modified hierarchy, wherein:

receiving the second input effective to further modify the hierarchy of the graphical diagram includes receiving input effective to move first group category from the first hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels to a second hierarchical level of the two or more hierarchical levels; and

rearranging the graphical diagram according to the further modified hierarchy includes one of:

reducing one of the one or more first graphical containers that represents one of the one or more first groups of the first group category to be surrounded by a third graphical container that represents a third group of a third group category at a higher hierarchical level in the modified hierarchy than the first group category, the third graphical container being surrounded by the first graphical container prior to the rearranging and the third group category at a lower hierarchical level than the first group category prior to the modifying.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , the operations further comprising enforcing semantic constraints derived from the structured source data when rearranging the graphical diagram according to the modified hierarchy.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , the operations further comprising receiving second input effective to switch between two different visualization techniques, wherein the two different visualization techniques include: