Entity Node Editor With Bi-Directional Links for Complex GUI Relationships
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional building management systems struggle to effectively visualize and manage complex relationships between numerous entities, often limiting security operators' ability to focus on relevant information due to their one-dimensional relationship support.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a graphical user interface (GUI) node editor that constructs entity datablocks with descriptive information, categories, relationships, and unique identifiers, allowing for bi-directional relationships to be represented as nodes and lines, enabling users to edit and manage entities and connections interactively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a hierarchical tree structure is used to abstract entity relationships, then the system can specify the most relevant entities, but it can only support one dimension of complexity and becomes difficult to understand as the number of entities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional hierarchical tree structure to a two-dimensional canvas-based node editor. Entities are represented as nodes that can be positioned freely on a 2D canvas, and relationships are shown as connecting lines. This dimensional change allows multiple entities and their relationships to be visualized simultaneously without the limitations of a single hierarchical path, enabling users to comprehend complex multi-dimensional entity relationships more effectively.
2Quantity of substance
If the system displays a large number of related entities in the GUI, then complete entity information is provided, but the GUI becomes difficult to display and understand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display of entities into individual nodes on a canvas, where each node represents a single entity with its key attributes. Instead of presenting all entities in a monolithic list or tree, the system allows users to selectively place and arrange nodes across the canvas space. This segmentation enables the system to handle large numbers of entities by distributing them across a 2D space, reducing the visual complexity at any single point while maintaining access to all entity information.
Solution Approach 2:
By moving from a one-dimensional linear or hierarchical display to a two-dimensional canvas, the system gains additional spatial dimension for organizing entities. This allows entities to be arranged in meaningful spatial patterns that reflect their relationships, reducing the need for deep nesting or long lists. The 2D space enables the GUI to accommodate more entities without proportionally increasing complexity, as users can visually scan and navigate the canvas more efficiently than through hierarchical levels.
3Device complexity
If traditional one-dimensional relationship support is used, then the system structure is simple, but security operators cannot focus on relevant information in complex building management systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements bi-directional relationships in a two-dimensional node editor, allowing entities to connect to multiple parent and child entities simultaneously. This enables complex many-to-many relationships to be visualized directly on the canvas through connecting lines, rather than forcing entities into a single hierarchical path. Security operators can see all relevant relationships for any entity by examining its connections on the canvas, making relevant information visible without increasing fundamental system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The node editor provides a universal visualization framework that can represent various types of entity relationships (parent-child, associated-with, connected-to, etc.) using the same visual language of nodes and lines. This multi-functional approach allows the system to handle diverse relationship types without requiring separate display mechanisms for each relationship kind, enabling security operators to focus on relevant information across different relationship contexts using a consistent interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for visualizing and managing entities and connections between entities based on a graphical user interface (GUI) node editor includes constructing an entity datablock, wherein the entity datablock is a data structure describing an entity and comprises entity descriptive information, an entity category, an entity name, entity relationships, and an entity identifier. The method includes establishing the entity relationships as bi-directional relationships, wherein the bi-directional relationships link two disparate entities. The method further includes representing the entity datablock as a node and the bi-directional relationships as lines connecting two nodes, wherein the node comprises at least one of the entity descriptive information, the entity category, or the entity name.