Scalable user interface for graphically representing hierarchical data

A graphical user interface for viewing a hyperbolical scalable linear information structure comprising:

• an interactive graphical user interface for viewing said scalable linear information structure on a display;
• said interactive graphical user interface comprising at least one defined region on said display;
• said region comprising at least one expansive location representing an information object;
• means for selecting said at least one expansive location to display linearly said information object represented by said expansive location within said region;
• means for said expansive location to be movable linearly to any location within said defined region, while maintaining a compression of other information in said defined region;
• and
• wherein said other information contained within said region is compressed linearly to accommodate the entirety of said information object, as well as the entirety of said other information contained within said region, all within said defined region, and
• wherein the term linear means in a vertical or horizontal direction on said display, and expansion and compression is performed hyperbolically.

A method for providing a graphical user interface, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one defined region on a computer display;
• displaying linearly within said defined region a hyperbolically scalable user-accessible linear information structure having at least one expansive location representing an information object;
• selecting said at least one expansive location to display linearly said information object represented by said expansive location;
• compressing linearly information otherwise contained within said region to accommodate the entirety of a file structure, as well as said information otherwise contained within said region, all within said defined region;
• and
• providing means for said expansive location to be movable linearly to any location within said defined region, while maintaining compression of said other information in said defined region,
• wherein the term linear means in a vertical or horizontal direction on said display, and expansion and compression is performed hyperbolically.

A graphical user interface for viewing a hyperbolically scalable linear information structure, comprising:

• an interactive graphical user interface for viewing said scalable linear information structure on a display;
• said interactive graphical user interface comprising at least one defined region on said display;
• said region comprising at least one expansive location representing an information object;
• means for selecting said at least one expansive location to display linearly said information object represented by said expansive location within said region;
• a hyperbolic scaling means for linearly altering information otherwise contained within said region to accommodate the entirety of said information object, as well as the entirety of said information otherwise contained within said region, all within said defined region;
• and
• wherein said expansive location is movable linearly to any location within said defined region, while maintaining alteration of said other information in said defined region;
• wherein the contents of said information object corresponding to said selected expansive location are linearly displayed within said region;
• wherein information otherwise contained within said region is compressed linearly to accommodate the entirety of said information object contents within said region;
• and
• wherein the term linear means in a vertical or horizontal direction on said display, and expansion and compression is performed hyperbolically.

A graphical user interface for viewing a scalable information structure, comprising:

• an interactive graphical user interface for viewing said scalable information structure on a display;
• said interactive graphical user interface comprising at least one defined region on said display;
• said region comprising at least one indentable location representing an information object;
• means for selecting said at least one indentable location to indent said information object;
• and
• means for dynamically scaling the indentation of said information object upon selection and indentation of a second information object located at an indentable location within said first information object;
• a scalable user-accessible information structure displayed within said region and having at least one expansive location denoting an information object;
• and a selection device for selecting said at least one expansive location to display said information object denoted by said expansive location;
• wherein the contents of said information object corresponding to said selected expansive location are displayed within said region;
• and
• wherein information otherwise contained within said region is compressed to accommodate the entirety of said information object contents within said region.