Storage Area Network Watermark Alert Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage area network management systems fail to effectively notify administrators of alerts, especially when they are not directly in front of the graphical user interface, as visual notifications like icon changes and text messages can be easily missed from a distance.
Innovation Solution
The use of a watermark image on the graphical user interface that is sized and styled to be visible from a distance, with color, pattern, and placement indicating alert severity and device association, allowing administrators to move freely without missing alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional visual notifications (icon changes, text messages) are used in the graphical user interface, then the alert information can be displayed, but the notifications cannot be effectively seen when administrators are at a distance from the interface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by displaying alert watermarks in different colors (e.g., yellow, red, blue) to indicate different alert severity levels. The watermark colors provide high visual contrast against the graphical user interface background, enabling administrators to perceive alerts from a distance. The color-coded system allows quick identification of critical issues without requiring close inspection of the interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional small icon/text notifications to large overlay watermark notifications that span significant portions of the graphical user interface. This dimensional change in notification size creates a new visual layer that is inherently more visible at distance, transforming the notification from a localized element to a dominant visual feature that cannot be missed.
2Loss of information
If small icons and text messages are used for alerts, then the interface remains clean and uncluttered, but the alerts can be easily missed and do not convey severity effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments alert information into distinct visual components: the watermark overlay conveying alert presence and severity, and the underlying graphical user interface maintaining its normal functionality. This segmentation allows the alert system to operate independently without fundamentally restructuring the entire interface, adding notification capability while preserving the existing interface design paradigm.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic watermark display characteristics including animation (pulsing, fading, or static states) and color changes that respond to alert severity levels and user interactions. These dynamic properties enable the system to convey multiple layers of information (alert presence, urgency, acknowledgment state) without requiring additional static interface elements, thus managing information complexity through temporal variations rather than spatial proliferation.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for using watermarks to indicate alerts in a storage area network management console are disclosed. An alert provides notification of the occurrence of an event in a storage area network. An event associated with a component of the storage area network is detected. An alert level corresponding to the detected event is determined. A watermark is placed on the graphical user interface to indicate an alert. An initial characteristic of the watermark depends on the determined alert level, and the watermark is oriented to be visible at a distance from the graphical user interface. Multiple alerts may be indicated through changes in a characteristic of the watermark or by changing a watermark initially placed on the graphical user interface upon initiation of the graphical user interface.