Navigating through a displayed hierarchical data structure

1 . Method for navigating through a displayed hierarchical data structure including a parent node and a plurality of child nodes the method comprising:

displaying the parent node at a parent position, displaying each of the plurality of child nodes at a respective child node position;

assigning a parent relevance grade to the parent node and assigning a respective relevance grade to each of the plurality of child nodes;

navigating through the displayed hierarchical data structure;

hiding, upon navigation through the displayed hierarchical data structure, a child node of the plurality of child nodes, based upon the respective relevance grade of child node; and

displaying a reference node at a reference node position in stead of displaying the hidden child node, wherein the reference node position is related to the child node position.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

selecting the reference node; and

displaying the child node at the child node position in stead of displaying the reference node, upon selecting the reference node.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein navigating through the displayed hierarchical data structure and hiding the child node are in opposite directions.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the relevance grade depends upon at least one of: a number of child nodes of the parent node, a selected child node or a selected parent node.

5 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the relevance grade comprises an ordering and hiding the child node depends upon this ordering.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the displayed reference node reflects a number of child nodes, of the plurality of child nodes, which are hidden.

7 . System for navigating through a displayed hierarchical data structure including a parent node and a plurality of child nodes the system comprising:

display means ( 702 ) conceived to display the parent node at a parent position, and to display each of the plurality of child nodes at a respective child node position;

assign means ( 704 ) conceived to assign a parent relevance grade to the parent node and assign a respective relevance grade to each of the plurality of child nodes;

navigation means ( 710 ) conceived to navigate through the displayed hierarchical data structure;

hiding means ( 704 ) conceived to hide, upon navigation through the displayed hierarchical data structure, a child node of the plurality of child nodes, based upon the respective relevance grade of the child node; and

the display means ( 702 ) is further conceived to display a reference node at a reference node position in stead of displaying the hidden child node, wherein the reference node position is related to the child node position.

8 . A system according to claim 8 , the system comprising:

selecting means ( 710 ) conceived to select the reference node; and

the display means ( 702 ) is further conceived to display the child node at the respective child node position in stead of displaying the reference node, upon selecting the reference node.

9 . Computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for causing one or more processing units to perform the method according to claim 1.