Visualizing a complex network based on a set of objects of interest
View Patent ↗A user interface of a device for displaying a representation of a network of objects wherein a plurality of selectable objects are rendered, and each of the plurality of selectable objects are rendered having a given positioning relative to each other of the plurality of selectable objects. One or more edges are rendered interconnecting the plurality of selectable objects within a first region of the user interface. A second region is rendered in response to one or more of the selectable objects of the first region being selected. Objects corresponding to the selected objects are depicted in the second region while maintaining the given relative positioning. A number of additional objects may be retrieved from a database that indicates objects that are adjoining the corresponding objects. The adjoining objects are positioned in the second region and are interconnected to the corresponding objects by one or more additional edges.
1. A system comprising:
a display,
a user input device, and
a processor that is configured to provide a user interface for displaying a visual representation of a network of objects on the display, and to receive user input identifying one or more selected objects of the network of objects and determining therefrom a set of display objects based on the selected objects,
wherein the representation includes:
a first region that includes a plurality of selectable objects of the network of objects, wherein each of the plurality of selectable objects are depicted having a given positioning relative to each other of the plurality of selectable objects, and one or more edges interconnecting the plurality of selectable objects; and
a second region that is configured to display only the display objects, the display objects including feature objects corresponding to the selected objects that are depicted in the second region based on the given relative positioning of the corresponding selected objects in the first region, so that the selected objects are depicted in the second region in substantially similar locations relative to each other as in the first region.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display objects include a number of additional objects from a database that indicates objects that are adjoining the corresponding feature objects, and the processor is configured to position the adjoining objects in the second region without substantially changing the given relative positioning of the corresponding feature objects, wherein the additional objects are depicted in the second region interconnected to the corresponding feature objects by one or more edges.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the number of additional objects retrieved is configurable to include objects that are one or more hops from the corresponding feature objects.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to render the corresponding feature objects visually distinguishable from the additional objects by at least one of a color difference, a shape difference, and a size difference.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the display objects in the second region are selectable.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the objects depicted in the first region are presented in a hierarchical view and the display objects depicted in the second region are presented in a flat view.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the objects depicted in the first region are configured to be selectable in response to a point-to-point path calculation.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first region and second region are presented simultaneously after the one or more selectable objects are selected.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the objects presented in the second region are selectable and wherein the processor is configured to provide a zoomed-in view of an object in the first region corresponding to an object selected in the second region.
10. An application embodied on a non-transient computer readable medium configured to produce a user interface of a device for displaying a representation of a network of objects, the application comprising:
a portion configured to render a plurality of selectable objects, wherein each of the plurality of selectable objects are rendered having a given positioning relative to each other of the plurality of selectable objects, and one or more edges interconnecting the plurality of selectable objects within a first region of the user interface;
a portion configured to receive user input identifying one or more selected objects of the plurality of selectable objects;
a portion configured to determine a set of display objects based on the selected objects, including one or more feature objects corresponding to the display objects; and
a portion configured to render a second region in response to one or more of the selectable objects of the first region being selected, wherein only the display objects are depicted in the second region, and the feature objects are depicted in the second region based on the relative positioning of the feature objects in the first region, so that the feature objects are depicted in the second region in substantially similar locations relative to each other as in the first region.
11. The application of claim 10 , wherein the portion configured to determine the set of display objects is configured to retrieve the feature object and a number of additional objects from a database that indicates objects that are adjoining the feature object, and is configured to position the adjoining objects in the second region without substantially changing the given relative positioning of the feature objects, wherein the number of additional objects rendered in the second region are interconnected to the feature objects by one or more edges.
12. The application of claim 10 , wherein the portion configured to render the second region is configured to render the feature objects by performing an iterative process that treats each of the feature objects as repulsing each other of the feature objects, which repulsion is partially counteracted by a relative cohesion provided by edges that adjoin the feature objects, and thereafter zooming the feature objects to substantially fill a predefined area allocated to the second region.
13. The application of claim 10 , wherein the portion configured to render the second region is configured to render the feature objects by spacing and sizing representations of the feature objects such that feature objects and edges do not overlap while the representations of the feature objects substantially fill a predetermined area of the second region.
14. The application of claim 13 , comprising a portion that is configured to label the representations of the feature objects by retrieving labels associated with the feature objects.
15. The application of claim 11 , comprising a portion that is configured to provide a visual differentiation between the feature and the additional objects.
16. The application of claim 10 , comprising a portion configured to enable selection of one or more of the display objects in the second region.
17. The application of claim 16 , wherein the portion configured to enable selection of the display object in the second region is configured to alter a view in the first region of an object corresponding to the object selected in the second region.
18. A method of producing a user interface of a device for displaying a visual representation of a network of objects, the method comprising:
rendering, at the device, a plurality of selectable objects having a given positioning relative to each other of the plurality of selectable objects;
rendering, at the device, one or more edges interconnecting the plurality of selectable objects within a first region of the user interface;
receiving, via the user interface, user input identifying one or more selected objects of the plurality of selectable objects;
determining, by the user interface, a set of display objects based on the one or more selected objects, including feature objects corresponding to the selected objects; and
rendering, at the device, a second region in response to a selectable object of the first region being selected, wherein only the display objects are depicted in the second region, and the selected objects are depicted in the second region based on the relative positioning of the selected objects in the first region, so that the select objects are depicted in the second region in substantially similar locations relative to each other as in the first region.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein
determining the set of display objects includes retrieving a number of additional objects from a database that indicates objects that are adjoining the selected object in response to the selection of the selected object and positioning the number of additional objects in the second region without substantially changing the given relative positioning of the feature object; and
interconnecting the number of additional objects and the feature object rendered in the second region by one or more edges.
20. The method of claim 18 , including:
enabling selection of one or more of the display objects in the second region; and
altering a view in the first region of one or more objects corresponding to the one or more display objects selected in the second region.