System and method of providing a computer networking tool and interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10452242-B2
Application number	US-201615176086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 7, 2015
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable storage device configured to display a network topology on a display screen of a computing device. The network topology includes a first group of components in an expanded format and a second group of components in a collapsed format. An input is received that is associated with the second group of components, and is arranged to cause the second group of components to be expanded into the expanded format. Finally, the method includes, based on a parameter and the input, automatically collapsing the first group of components from the expanded format into the collapsed format.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
displaying, via a computing device, a network topology having a first group of components in an expanded format and a second group of components in a collapsed format;
receiving, via a processor, an input initiated by a user and associated with the second group of components;
changing, based on the input, the second group of components from the collapsed format into the expanded format to yield the second group of components in the expanded format;
changing, based on a parameter and based on the input associated with the second group of components, the first group of components from the expanded format into the collapsed format, the parameter including one or more of a location of the first group of components, a level of expansion of the first group of components, a user profile, an interest level, a zoom level, the interest level relative to the zoom level or a threshold to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format, wherein the location of the first group of components is a geographical location of the first group of components, and the changing of the first group of components to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format is performed because the parameter indicates that the first group of components is relatively distant from the second group of components; and
displaying, via the computing device, the first group of components in the collapsed format and the second group of components in the expanded format,
wherein the changing of the second group of components to yield the second group of components in the expanded format automatically causes the first group of components to be changed from the expanded format to the collapsed format.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein,
the parameter includes the threshold, and
the threshold is based on a screen density of the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input comprises the user clicking on a graphical icon associated with the second group of components and indicating that the second group of components should be expanded into the expanded format.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein,
the parameter includes the interest level, and
the changing of the first group of components to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format is based on the interest level associated with the first group of components being determined to be relatively low when compared with other components in the network topology.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein,
the parameter includes a virtual location of the first group of components, and
the changing of the first group of components to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format is performed because the parameter with the virtual location indicates that the first group of components is relatively distant from the second group of components.

6. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable medium, storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
displaying a network topology having a first group of components in an expanded format and a second group of components in a collapsed format;
receiving an input initiated by a user and associated with the second group of components;
changing, based on the input the second group of components from the collapsed format into the expanded format to yield the second group of components in the expanded format;
changing, based on a parameter and based on the input associated with the second group of components, the first group of components from the expanded format into the collapsed format, the parameter including one or more of a location of the first group of components, a level of expansion of the first group of components, a user profile, an interest level, a zoom level or a threshold to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format, wherein the location of the first group of components is a geographical location of the first group of components, and the changing of the first group of components to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format is performed because the parameter indicates that the first group of components is relatively distant from the second group of components; and
displaying the first group of components in the collapsed format and the second group of components in the expanded format,
wherein the changing of the second group of components to yield the second group of components in the expanded format automatically causes the first group of components to be changed from the expanded format to the collapsed format.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein,
the parameter includes the threshold, and
the threshold is based on a screen density.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the input comprises the user interacting with a graphical icon associated with the second group of components to indicate that the second group of components should be expanded into the expanded format.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein,
the parameter includes the interest level, and
the changing of the first group of components to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format is based on the interest level associated with the first group of components being determined to be relatively low when compared with interest levels of other components in the network topology.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein,
the parameter includes a virtual location of the first group of components, and
the changing of the first group of components to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format is performed because the parameter with the virtual location indicates that the first group of components is relatively distant from the second group of components.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
displaying a network topology including a first group of components in an expanded format and a second group of components in a collapsed format;
receiving an input initiated by a user and associated with the second group of components;
changing, based on the input, the second group of components from the collapsed format into the expanded format to yield the second group of components in the expanded format;
changing, based on a parameter and based on the input associated with the second group of components, the first group of components from the expanded format into the collapsed format, the parameter including one or more of a location of the first group of components, a level of expansion of the first group of components, a user profile, an interest level, a zoom level, the interest level relative to the zoom level or a threshold to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format, wherein the location of the first group of components is a geographical location of the first group of components, and the changing of the first group of components to yield the first group of components in the collapsed format is performed because the parameter indicates that the first group of components is relatively distant from the second group of components; and
displaying the first group of components in the collapsed format and the second group of components in the expanded format,
wherein the changing of the second group of components to yield the second group of components in the expanded format automatically causes the first group of components to be changed from the expanded format to the collapsed format.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 11 , wherein,
the

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Abuduweili Aikepaer
• Wee Susie
• Zhu Ming
• Zhang Yajun
• Ling Siqi
• Chen Rizhi

Classifications

• G06F2203/04806

  Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F3/04845 Primary

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L41/22

  comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title