Mosaic GUI for Overlapping Hierarchies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems struggle to effectively display and manage complex relationships between resources in overlapping but separate hierarchies, leading to user confusion and management issues, as simple hierarchical tree formats fail to convey these relationships intuitively.
Innovation Solution
A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is developed to illustrate relationships using a mosaic-like graphic, allowing multiple overlapping hierarchies to be depicted simultaneously, with icons representing resources placed based on their type and relative rank, and attributes such as storage capacity displayed proportionally, enabling intuitive management and manipulation of system resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple hierarchical tree format is used to display resources, then the display is simple and easy to understand, but it cannot effectively display overlapping but separate hierarchies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional two-dimensional tree structure to a mosaic-like graphic that incorporates multiple dimensions of hierarchy simultaneously. This allows resources to be positioned based on their rank in different hierarchies, enabling the display of overlapping hierarchies while maintaining visual clarity through spatial arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the display into multiple hierarchical layers or dimensions, where each hierarchy can be visualized separately but overlaid in the same graphical space. This segmentation allows the system to handle complex overlapping hierarchies by breaking them into manageable visual components that can be composed together.
2Loss of information
If multiple overlapping hierarchies are displayed simultaneously, then resource relationships become comprehensive, but user confusion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different regions or areas of the mosaic graphic to represent different hierarchical contexts. Each resource icon can be positioned and styled according to its specific hierarchical attributes, enabling the display of comprehensive relationships while maintaining local clarity through context-appropriate visual properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes color changes and visual differentiation to help users distinguish between different hierarchies and resource types within the mosaic display. By varying colors, sizes, or visual properties of icons based on their hierarchical context, the system presents comprehensive information while reducing user confusion through intuitive visual cues.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of using a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to display relationships amongst resources of a system can include illustrating at least two overlapping but separate hierarchies in the same mosaic-like graphic, each hierarchy representing one or more of the relationships amongst the resources.