Tree Structure Selection Representation Using Include Exclude Modifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
In tree-type data structures, the extensive selection lists required for selecting and deselecting parent, children, and grandchildren nodes become cumbersome, especially in large systems like file systems, as users need to explicitly list all items, leading to inefficiencies in processing and representation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of two selection modifiers, 'include' and 'exclude,' allows for the reduction of explicitly listed items by determining inclusive and exclusive selections based on parent-child relationships, where a node's selection type dictates the inclusion or exclusion of its children, thereby simplifying the selection representation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If explicit selection lists are used to select items in tree structures, then complete selection coverage is achieved, but the selection list becomes extensive and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by allowing parent node selection to automatically include child nodes, creating a nested selection structure where selecting a parent node (outer layer) implicitly selects its children (inner layers). This eliminates the need to explicitly list each child node in the selection list, dramatically reducing selection list length while maintaining complete selection coverage through the hierarchical nesting relationship.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling a single parent node selection to serve multiple purposes: it selects the parent node itself, automatically selects all child nodes, and provides a default selection state for the entire subtree. This universal selection mechanism allows one selection action to accomplish what would otherwise require multiple individual selections, reducing the extensive selection list into a compact hierarchical representation.
2Measurement precision
If all items in tree structure are explicitly listed for selection, then accurate selection control is achieved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing hierarchical selection rules where parent node selection automatically implies child node selection. This preliminary definition of selection relationships means that when a user selects a parent node, the system has already prepared the hierarchical structure to automatically include children, eliminating the need to process and evaluate each child node individually during selection execution, thus reducing processing time while maintaining accurate selection control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the selection process into hierarchical levels (parent nodes and child nodes), allowing independent selection decisions at each level. By segmenting the extensive flat selection list into hierarchical segments, the system can process selections level-by-level rather than item-by-item, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining precise selection control through the segmented hierarchical structure.
3Ease of operation
If parent node selection includes all children, then selection simplicity is improved, but inability to exclude specific children reduces flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by reversing the default selection logic: instead of parent selection automatically including all children (inclusive default), the system allows parent selection to exclude children by default, with an explicit opt-in mechanism to include them. This inverted approach maintains selection simplicity through hierarchical structure while restoring flexibility by giving users explicit control to include or exclude specific children based on their needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the parent-child selection relationship configurable rather than fixed. The selection behavior can dynamically adjust between inclusive and exclusive modes based on user preferences or system context. This dynamic mechanism allows the system to switch between simplicity (when inclusive selection is desired) and flexibility (when selective inclusion/exclusion is needed), adapting to different operational requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for generating a selection representation for items in a tree structure using an include modifier and an exclude modifier. The method exemplarily includes analyzing a parent node of the tree structure to determine if the parent node is an inclusive selection, including a path of the parent node in the selection representation if the parent node is an inclusive selection, analyzing a first child node of the parent node to determine if the first child node is a different selection type than the parent node, and including a path of the first child node if the first child node is a different selection type than the parent node.