Method and system providing for the compact navigation of a tree structure
A method and system are described providing for the compact navigation of a tree structure. According to an exemplary embodiment, a path in the tree structure is displayed. A selection component is included in the displayed path to represent a level of the tree structure at which there exists a plurality of nodes. A selection of a node from among the nodes existing at the level of the tree structure represented by the selection component is allowed when the selection component has focus. Only a selected node is displayed when the selection component does not have focus. The method and system allow complex hierarchical data structures to be presented in a compact form appropriate for portable electronic devices having smaller-sized displays.
1 . A method providing for the compact navigation of a tree structure, the method comprising:
displaying a path in the tree structure;
including a selection component in the displayed path to represent a level of the tree structure at which there exists a plurality of nodes;
allowing a selection of a node from among the plurality of nodes when the selection component has focus; and
displaying only a selected node when the selection component does not have focus.
2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
performing a default action based on a type or an identity of the node when the node is selected using the selection component.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein when the selected node is not a leaf node, the method comprises:
including the selection component or a second selection component in the displayed path to represent a child of the selected node.
4 . The method of claim 3 , comprising:
determining whether the selected node has one or more children;
identifying a default child node from among any determined children; and
displaying the default child node in the selection component or the second selection component when included in the displayed path.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the default child node is identified based on a recency of selection of the default child node using the selection component.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein when the selected node is determined to have more than one child, the method comprises:
including the children in the selection component or in the second selection component in an order based on a recency of selection of each respective child node, wherein the default child node corresponds to a most-recently selected child node.
7 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
displaying the contents of a node displayed in the selection component.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the contents are displayed automatically when the node is displayed as a current selection in the selection component and the selection component has focus.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the contents are displayed when the displayed node is selected using the selection component.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the path including the selection component is displayed in at least one of a location bar of a graphical user interface (GUI) and a presentation space of the GUI as an identifier of a node in the tree structure.
11 . The method of claim 10 , comprising:
displaying the contents of a node displayed in the selection component in a portion of the presentation space adjacent to the path displayed as an identifier.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein when the node displayed in the selection component is an image or a video, at least one of an icon view, a thumbnail view, and a screennail view of the image or video is displayed in the portion of the presentation space.
13 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
displaying the path including the selection component on more than one line of a graphical user interface.
14 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
scrolling the path including the selection component across one line of a graphical user interface.
15 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
allowing a selection of a child of one of the plurality of nodes when the selection component has focus.
16 . A system providing for the compact navigation of a tree structure, the system comprising:
a display configured to display a path in the tree structure;
a graphics subsystem coupled to the display, wherein the graphics subsystem is configured to include a selection component in the displayed path to represent a level of the tree structure at which there exists a plurality of nodes, to allow a selection of a node from among the plurality of nodes when the selection component has focus, and to display only a selected node when the selection component does not have focus; and
an input subsystem coupled to the graphics subsystem, wherein the input subsystem is configured to determine when the node is selected using the selection component and whether the selection component has focus.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the system is configured to perform a default action based on a type or an identity of the node when the node is selected using the selection component.
18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein when the selected node is not a leaf node, the graphics subsystem is configured to include the selection component or a second selection component in the displayed path to represent a child of the selected node.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the system is configured to determine whether the selected node has one or more children and to identify a default child node from among any determined children, and the graphics subsystem is configured to display the default child node in the selection component or the second selection component when included in the displayed path.
20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the system is configured to identify the default child node based on a recency of a selection of the default child node using the selection component.
21 . The system of claim 19 , wherein when the selected node is determined to have more than one child, the graphics subsystem is configured to include the children in the selection component or in the second selection component in an order based on a recency of selection of each respective child node, wherein the default child node corresponds to a most-recently selected child node.
22 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the graphics subsystem is configured to display the contents of a node displayed in the selection component.
23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the graphics subsystem is configured to automatically display the contents on the display when the node is displayed as a current selection in the selection component and when the input subsystem determines the selection component has focus.
24 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the graphics subsystem is configured to display the contents on the display when the input subsystem determines that the displayed node is selected using the selection component.
25 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the path including the selection component is displayed on the display in at least one of a location bar of a graphical user interface (GUI) and a presentation space of the GUI as an identifier of a node in the tree structure.
26 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the graphics subsystem is configured to display the contents of a node displayed in the selection component in a portion of the presentation space adjacent to the path displayed as an identifier.
27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein when the node displayed in the selection component is an image or a video, the graphics subsystem is configured to display at least one of an icon view, a thumbnail view, and a screennail view of the image or video in the portion of the presentation space.
28 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the graphics subsystem is configured to display the path including the selection component on more than one line of a graphical user interface.
29 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the graphics subsystem is configured to scroll the path including the selection component across one line of a graphical user interface.
30 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the graphics subsystem is configured to allow a selection of a child of one of the plurality of nodes when the input subsystem determines that the selection component has focus.
31 . A computer readable medium containing a computer program providing for the compact navigation of a tree structure, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:
displaying a path in the tree structure;
including a selection component in the displayed path to represent a level of the tree structure at which there exists a plurality of nodes;
allowing a selection of a node from among the plurality of nodes when the selection component has focus; and
displaying only a selected node when the selection component does not have focus.
32 . The medium of claim 31 , wherein the computer program comprises executable instructions for:
performing a default action based on a type or an identity of the node when the node is selected using the selection component.
33 . The medium of claim 31 , wherein when the selected node is not a leaf node, the computer program comprises executable instructions for:
including the selection component or a second selection component in the displayed path to represent a child of the selected node.
34 . The medium of claim 33 , wherein the computer program comprises executable instructions for:
determining whether the selected node has one or more children;
identifying a default child node from among any determined children; and
displaying the default child node in the selection component or a second selection component when included in the displayed path.
35 . The medium of claim 31 , wherein the computer program comprises executable instructions for:
displaying the contents of a node displayed in the selection component.
36 . The medium of claim 35 , wherein the executable instructions automatically display the contents when the node is display in the selection component and the selection component has focus.
37 . The medium of claim 35 , wherein the executable instructions display the contents when the displayed node is selected using the selection component.
38 . The medium of claim 31 , wherein the executable instructions display the path including the selection component in at least one of a location bar of a graphical user interface (GUI) and a presentation space of the GUI as an identifier of a node in the tree structure.
39 . The medium of claim 38 , wherein the executable instructions display the contents of a node displayed in the selection component in a portion of the presentation space adjacent to the path displayed as an identifier.
40 . The medium of claim 31 , wherein the computer program comprises executable instructions for:
scrolling the path including the selection component across one line of a graphical user interface.