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AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJon O. Austin, Jani G. Byrne, Carole A. Bohn, Arlindo Chiavegatto, Jr., Jeffrey L. Smith, Raymond L. Zeisz, Jr.
Estimating the term…
A display and control system utilizes graphics for providing a clear, concise and intuitive interface between the user and a complex system. Icons are utilized for selectively representing components of the complex system, the components having a configurable relationship with one another. The display and control system further utilizes a predefined array defining locations for the icons to be positioned. In a first embodiment, the interface may be utilized in a network for assisting the user to configure the network and for providing real-time monitoring of the network at the interconnect device. In a second embodiment, a display and control system utilizes graphics for providing a clear, concise interface between the user and a workstation for configuring a file for use with an application software program in accordance with the hardware installed in the server workstation. Each embodiment utilizes a predefined array defining locations for the icons to be positioned.
For use with a first networking component in a communications network having a plurality of networking components wherein data may be conveyed between said networking components in said communications network, said first networking component having a primary function of passing data to and from said communications network and having a configurable relationship with other networking components so that a communication link may exist between said first networking component and another networking component so that data may be conveyed over said communication link, and wherein said communication link may be starting between said first networking component and another networking component in that communication activity is initializing between said first networking component and said another networking component, a display and control system for monitoring and configuring said first networking component with respect to the communications activity with the remainder of said communications network, said display and control system comprising:
An interconnect device for being connected between a first network and a second network of a plurality of networks, said interconnect device comprising means for passing data from said first network to said second network and further comprising a display and control system for monitoring and configuring a complex system having a plurality of other interconnect devices, said interconnect device having a configurable relationship with said other interconnect devices so that a communication link may exist between said interconnect device and said other interconnect devices, and wherein said communication link may be starting between said interconnect device and another interconnect device in that communication activity is initializing between said interconnect device and said another interconnect device, said display and control system comprising a plurality of icons for selectively representing said interconnect device and said plurality of other interconnect devices, a screen for displaying said plurality of icons, said screen having a matrix of display elements for producing a display image, said matrix comprising a plurality of columns and rows of said display elements, a predetermined array of areas on said screen defining a plurality of locations for said icons to be positioned, each icon having a predetermined location in said array, said predefined array of areas comprising a plurality of columns and rows, each column and row of said predefined army of areas comprising a plurality of columns and rows of said display elements, control means for defining and establishing a relationship solely between said interconnect device and said other interconnect devices, and means for indicating on said screen the status of relationships solely between said interconnect device and said other interconnect devices, said indicating means comprising means for indicating that said communication link is starting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.