System and method of providing a computer networking tool and interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016357416-A1
Application number	US-201615176086-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 7, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, methods and computer-readable storage devices related to displaying 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 a network topology on a computing device, the network topology comprising 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, the input being initiated by a user and being associated with the second group of components; based on the input, expanding the second group of components to yield the second group of components in the expanded format; displaying the second group of components in the expanded format on the computing device; and collapsing, based on a parameter and based on the input, the first group of components from the expanded format into the collapsed format.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter comprises one or more of: a virtual location of the first group of components, a level of expansion of the first group of components, a hierarchical value of at least one component in the first group of components, a geographic location of at least one component of the first group of components, a user profile, an interest level, a zoom level, the interest level relative to the zoom level, a type of at least one component in the first group of components, a preset value, a threshold, a density evaluation, and a role of a component in the second group of components.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein expanding the second group of components automatically causes the first group of components to be collapsed into the collapsed format.

4 . 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.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying on the computing device the first group of components in the collapsed format.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the parameter comprises the geographical location of at least one component of the first group of components and wherein collapsing the first group of components is performed because the parameter indicates that the first group of components is relatively distant from the second group of components.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the parameter comprises the interest level, and wherein collapsing the first group of components 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.

8 . 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, the network topology comprising a first group of components in an expanded format and a second group of components in a collapsed format;
receiving an input, the input being initiated by a user and the input being associated with the second group of components;
based on the input, expanding the second group of components to yield the second group of components in the expanded format;
displaying the second group of components in the expanded format; and
collapsing, based on a parameter and based on the input, the first group of components from the expanded format into the collapsed format.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the parameter comprises one or more of: a virtual location of the first group of components, a level of expansion of the first group of components, a hierarchical value of at least one component in the first group of components, a geographic location of at least one component of the first group of components, a user profile, an interest level, a zoom level, the interest level relative to the zoom level, a type of at least one component in the first group of components, a preset value, a threshold, a density evaluation, and a role of a component in the second group of components.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein expanding the second group of components automatically causes the first group of components to be collapsed into the collapsed format.

11 . The system of claim 8 , 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.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the parameter comprises the geographical location of at least one component of the first group of components and wherein collapsing the first group of components is performed because the parameter indicates that the first group of components is relatively distant from the second group of components.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the parameter comprises the interest level, and wherein collapsing the first group of components 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.

14 . A computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
displaying a network topology, the network topology comprising a first group of components in an expanded format and a second group of components in a collapsed format; receiving an input, the input being initiated by a user and the input being associated with the second group of components; based on the input, expanding the second group of components to yield the second group of components in the expanded format; displaying the second group of components in the expanded format; and collapsing, based on a parameter and based on the input, the first group of components from the expanded format into the collapsed format.

15 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein the parameter comprises one or more of: a virtual location of the first group of components, a level of expansion of the first group of components, a hierarchical value of at least one component in the first group of components, a geographic location of at least one component of the first group of components, a user profile, an interest level, a zoom level, the interest level relative to the zoom level, a type of at least one component in the first group of components, a preset value, a threshold, a density evaluation, and a role of a component in the second group of components.

16 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein expanding the second group of components automatically causes the first group of components to be collapsed into the collapsed format.

17 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 14 , 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.

18 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 14 , further comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:
displaying the first group of components in the collapsed format.

19 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the parameter comprises the geographical location of at least one component of the first group of components and wherein collapsing the first group of components is performed because the parameter indicates that the first group of components is relatively distan

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F3/04817

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

• G06F3/04842

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

• G06F2203/04806

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

• G06F3/04845 Primary

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

• H04L41/22

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