Interactive multimedia process flow chart builder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016155249-A1
Application number	US-201314087356-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 22, 2013
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to an aspect a method for building an interactive multimedia process flow chart is provided. The method includes displaying a process flow chart in an interactive graphically editable format on a user interface. The process flow chart includes a plurality of nodes each located entirely in a single node cell of a node grid. A pair of output hubs on a decision node of the process flow chart is linked to a pair of nodes defining a yes-path and a no-path. An output hub of a process step node of the process flow chart is linked to a single node defining a next process step. A link is established to an end node of the process flow chart absent any output links from the end node. The decision node, process step node, and end node each have a common shape including a display region and an editing command region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for building an interactive multimedia process flow chart, the method comprising:
displaying a process flow chart in an interactive graphically editable format on a user interface, the process flow chart comprising a plurality of nodes each located entirely in a single node cell of a node grid; linking a pair of output hubs on a decision node of the process flow chart to a pair of nodes defining a yes-path and a no-path; linking an output hub of a process step node of the process flow chart to a single node defining a next process step; and establishing a link to an end node of the process flow chart absent any output links from the end node, wherein the decision node, the process step node, and the end node each have a common shape including a display region illustrating node information and an editing command region depicting at least one node editing command.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the node grid comprises a plurality of node cells each defined by a row location and a column location, the method further comprising:
adding a yes-path node at a next greater column location relative to a location of the decision node based on detecting a user selection action at a yes-path hub of the pair of output hubs; and adding a no-path node at a next greater row location relative to the location of the decision node based on detecting a user selection action at a no-path hub of the pair of output hubs.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the linking of the pair of output hubs on the decision node of the process flow chart to the pair of nodes defining the yes-path and the no-path further comprises:
creating a connection between the yes-path hub and the yes-path node as the yes-path based on detecting the user selection action at the yes-path hub; and creating a connection between the no-path hub and the no-path node as the no-path based on detecting the user selection action at the no-path hub.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the node information further comprises a node category indicating a type of action associated with each node, and node wisdom defining a process step or decision to display for each node.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one node editing command comprises a node information panel command, the method further comprising:
opening a node information panel based on detecting a user selection action of the node information panel command for a selected node; updating the node category of the selected node based on detecting a user selected change to a node category section on the node information panel; and updating the node wisdom of the selected node based on detecting a user selected change to a node wisdom section on the node information panel.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the node information panel further comprises an additional information section and a supplemental content section, the method further comprising:
establishing additional information to display, including hyperlinks, for the selected node based on user input to the additional information section of the node information panel; and setting supplemental content for the selected node based on user input to the supplemental content section of the node information panel, the supplemental content comprising one or more of: an image, a video, or an audio clip.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one node editing command comprises a node delete command, the method further comprising:
removing a selected node from the process flow chart based on detecting a user selection action of the node delete command on the selected node.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
adding a connection between two nodes based on detecting a user-initiated dragging motion from an output hub of a first node to a second node; and removing the connection between the two nodes based on detecting a user-initiated click action on the connection.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the node grid comprises a plurality of node cells each defined by a row location and a column location, the method further comprising:
adding a new node to the process flow chart in a node cell at a column location adjacent a right-most populated column based on detecting a user selection of an insert column at end command; adding a new node to the process flow chart in a node cell at a row location adjacent a bottom-most populated row based on detecting a user selection of an insert row at bottom command; and adding a new node to the process flow chart in an unpopulated node cell based on detecting a user-initiated dragging motion from a new node command icon.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
opening a menu at a user-selected location enabling a plurality of commands to reposition one or more nodes of the process flow chart based on the user-selected location, the plurality of commands comprising: a column insertion command, a column deletion command, a row insertion command, a row deletion command, and a node movement command.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
saving the process flow chart to a data storage system in a markup language file format readable by an interactive multimedia process flow chart analysis tool based on detecting a user selected save command.

12 . An interactive multimedia process flow chart system, comprising:
a memory comprising an interactive multimedia process flow chart builder tool; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the interactive multimedia process flow chart builder tool executable by the processing circuitry to:
display a process flow chart in an interactive graphically editable format on a user interface, the process flow chart comprising a plurality of nodes each located entirely in a single node cell of a node grid;
link a pair of output hubs on a decision node of the process flow chart to a pair of nodes defining a yes-path and a no-path;
link an output hub of a process step node of the process flow chart to a single node defining a next process step; and
establish a link to an end node of the process flow chart absent any output links from the end node, wherein the decision node, the process step node, and the end node each have a common shape including a display region illustrating node information and an editing command region depicting at least one node editing command.

13 . The interactive multimedia process flow chart system of claim 12 , wherein the node grid comprises a plurality of node cells each defined by a row location and a column location, the interactive multimedia process flow chart builder tool further executable by the processing circuitry to:
add a yes-path node at a next greater column location relative to a location of the decision node based on detecting a user selection action at a yes-path hub of the pair of output hubs; create a connection between the yes-path hub and the yes-path node as the yes-path based on detecting the user selection action at the yes-path hub; add a no-path node at a next greater row location relative to the location of the decision node based on detecting a user selection action at a no-path hub of the pair of output hubs; and create a connection between the no-path hub and the no-path node as the no-path based on detecting the user selection action at the no-path hub.

14 . The interactive multimedia process flow chart system of claim 12 , wherein the node information further comprises a node category indicating a type of action associated with each node, and node wisdom defining a process step or decision to display for each

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Moore Erik M

Classifications

• G06T11/26 Primary

  Drawing of charts or graphs · CPC title

• G06Q10/00

  Administration; Management · CPC title

• G06F8/34

  Graphical or visual programming · CPC title

• G06T2200/24

  involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs] · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

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