Hierarchical Navigation for Building Automation Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building automation and management systems face challenges in providing an intuitive and timely interface for navigating vast amounts of dispersed data, leading to rigid user interfaces that hinder efficient monitoring and control.
Innovation Solution
A hierarchical navigation system that organizes related objects and data in a graphical user interface, allowing users to easily monitor and manage building automation systems through a system manager application and navigation application, which includes displaying tiles for objects, related objects, and detailed information, enabling intuitive navigation and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rigid user interface architecture is used to display and access data for monitoring and controlling building automation systems, then the system structure is simple and easy to implement, but the interface is not intuitive and navigation of information is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels (first level displaying plurality of objects, second level displaying related objects). When a user selects an object at the first level, the system displays related objects at the second level, breaking down the complex navigation task into manageable steps and making information access more intuitive.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the interface architecture, transitioning from a flat, single-level display to a multi-level hierarchical structure. This adds a vertical dimension to navigation, allowing users to drill down from general objects to specific related objects, thereby improving intuitiveness without overwhelming complexity.
2Productivity
If vast numbers of devices and control points are monitored and controlled, then comprehensive system coverage is achieved, but navigation and access to data becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels (first level displaying plurality of objects, second level displaying related objects). When a user selects an object at the first level, the system displays related objects at the second level, breaking down the complex navigation task into manageable steps and making information access more intuitive.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-organizes objects and their relationships into a hierarchical structure before user interaction. Related objects are identified and prepared in advance, so when a user selects an object, the relevant related objects are immediately displayed without requiring additional search or navigation steps, reducing time loss.
3Ease of operation
If a hierarchical navigation system with multiple levels is implemented, then intuitive navigation and timely access to information is enabled, but the interface architecture becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels (first level displaying plurality of objects, second level displaying related objects). When a user selects an object at the first level, the system displays related objects at the second level, breaking down the complex navigation task into manageable steps and making information access more intuitive.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the interface architecture, transitioning from a flat, single-level display to a multi-level hierarchical structure. This adds a vertical dimension to navigation, allowing users to drill down from general objects to specific related objects, thereby improving intuitiveness without overwhelming complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for navigating information includes identifying a value for a property of a first object associated with one or more devices managed by a management system. The method includes displaying a first plurality of tiles for a plurality of objects, including the first object. A first of the tiles is associated with the first object and includes a display of a graphic associated with the object and the identified value for the property. The method includes identifying a plurality of related objects that are related to the first object and displaying a second plurality of tiles for the related objects in response to receiving a selection of the first tile for the first object. Additionally, the method includes displaying, in response to receiving a selection of a second tile in the second plurality of tiles for one of the related objects, information about the one related object.