High-Water Mark Scrolling for Hierarchical Data Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in computing systems is to create intuitive and computationally inexpensive user interfaces for displaying hierarchical datasets on smaller devices with limited screen real estate, while avoiding overwhelming users with excessive information and managing resource-intensive complex menus and graphics.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of high-water mark scrolling techniques, where a defined number of items in a hierarchical list are displayed, and when an item with child items is selected, corresponding child items replace existing items, maintaining a consistent number of displayed items without increasing memory or processor resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If more items are displayed at one time to maximize screen real estate utilization, then the amount of visible information increases, but the user interface becomes overwhelming and confusing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hierarchical dataset into multiple levels (parent items and child items) and displays only a limited number of items at each level. This segmentation allows the interface to present manageable portions of information while maintaining the ability to access more data through expansion, resolving the contradiction between displaying maximum information and maintaining simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where child items are contained within parent items. When a parent item is expanded, child items are revealed in a nested manner without replacing the parent structure. This nesting allows hierarchical data to be organized in a compact, intuitive way that prevents overwhelming users while still providing access to comprehensive information.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex menu systems and graphics are used to present information, then the user interface provides comprehensive functionality, but computational resources and memory usage increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary DOM objects corresponding to currently visible and interactable items, rather than creating a complete representation of the entire hierarchical dataset. This extraction approach maintains full functionality for the visible portion of the data while significantly reducing computational resource requirements and memory usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by creating and managing only the minimum necessary DOM objects required for the current display state. Instead of pre-creating all possible menu items and graphics, the system dynamically creates only what is needed based on user interactions and data hierarchy, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If a fixed number of items are displayed to maintain consistent screen real estate, then the display remains organized and simple, but the ability to show detailed hierarchical information is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic display where the number of visible items can change based on user interactions. When a parent item is expanded, additional child items are added to the display, increasing the total number of visible items while maintaining organization. This dynamic adjustment allows the display to adapt between simplicity and detailed information presentation as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares hierarchical data structures in advance with clear organizational patterns, allowing items to be systematically added to the display as users expand parent nodes. This preliminary organization of data ensures that when more items are displayed, they maintain consistent structure and ease of operation, preventing the display from becoming chaotic.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for the efficient display of hierarchical datasets using high-water mark scrolling. Certain techniques allow for the creation of simple, intuitive, and computationally inexpensive user interfaces for displaying hierarchical data sets. According to some embodiments, a defined number of items of a hierarchical list are presented in a hierarchical user interface module. This defined number of items may be referred to as a “high-water mark” value. When one of the items having associated child items (that are not currently displayed) is selected, one or more presented items in the hierarchical list are replaced with a corresponding one or more of the child items, thus maintaining a same number of displayed list items (i.e., the high-water mark number of displayed list items).