Manipulation of objects in a multi-dimensional representation of an on-line connectivity universe

A computer system comprising:

• a memory;
• a display screen;
• and
• a display manager that is stored in the memory and configured, when executed on a computer processor, to navigate between a full-screen display of a native user interface of an object and a display of a representation of a connectivity universe containing the object, by causing the computer system to:
• receive an indication to transition from presenting, on the display screen, the full-screen display of the native user interface of the object to presenting, on the display screen, the representation of the connectivity universe, wherein the full-screen display of the native user interface is a maximized display of the native user interface, completely or in effect;
• and
• performing an automated gradual transition from displaying the full-screen display of the native user interface of the object to displaying the connectivity universe containing a smaller rendered representation of the object by displaying a plurality of progressively smaller rendered representations of the object in conjunction with displaying greater portions of the connectivity universe until the smaller rendered representation of the object shown in context of other objects in the connectivity universe is reached, thereby progressively revealing additional context of the object within the connectivity universe, wherein displayable output from the native user interface of the object is rendered as part of the smaller rendered representation of the object.

A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor to navigate between presentations of a native user interface of an object displayed on a display screen of a computing system and a representation of a connectivity universe to which the object belongs, the representation of the connectivity universe displaying the object in context of other objects in the connectivity universe, the object being a physical device, logical device, or a service connected via at least one network to the other objects in the connectivity universe and capable of communicating with at least some of the other objects over the at least one network, by performing a method comprising:

• receiving an indication to transition from presenting, on the display screen, the representation of the connectivity universe to presenting, on the display screen, a full-screen display of the native user interface of the object, wherein the full-screen display of the native user interface is a maximized display of the native user interface, completely or in effect;
• and
• performing a gradual transition from presenting, on the display screen, the representation of the connectivity universe that includes a smaller rendered representation of the object shown within the context of the other objects in the connectivity universe to presenting, on the display screen, the full-screen display of the native user interface of the object, the gradual transition effectuated by displaying progressively larger rendered representations of the object in conjunction with displaying incrementally lesser portions of the connectivity universe representation, thereby progressively hiding more of the context of the connectivity universe, wherein at least some of the smaller and larger rendered representations of the object include displayable output from the native user interface of the object that is forwarded to be rendered as part of the rendered representation of the object.

A computer system comprising:

• a memory;
• a display screen;
• and
• a display manager that is stored in the memory and configured, when executed on a computer processor, to navigate between a full-screen display of a native user interface of an object and a display of a representation of a connectivity universe containing the object, by causing the computer system to:
• receive an indication to transition from presenting, on the display screen, the representation of the connectivity universe to presenting on the display screen the full-screen display of the native user interface of the object, wherein the full-screen display of the native user interface is a maximized display of the native user interface, completely or in effect;
• and
• performing an automated gradual transition from displaying the connectivity universe containing a smaller rendered representation of the object to displaying the full-screen display of the native user interface of the object by displaying a plurality of progressively larger representations of the object in conjunction with displaying smaller portions of the connectivity universe, thereby progressively hiding the connectivity universe representation, until the object is shown substantially without context of the connectivity universe, wherein at least some of the smaller and larger rendered representations of the object include displayable output from the native user interface of the object that is rendered as part of the rendered representation of the object.

A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor to display a native user interface of a first object within a graphical representation of a connectivity universe context to which the first object belongs, the representation of the connectivity universe displaying the first object in context of other objects in the connectivity universe, the first object being a physical device, logical device, or a service connected via at least one network to the other objects in the connectivity universe and capable of communicating with at least some of the other objects over the at least one network, by performing a method comprising:

• determining a plurality of objects in the connectivity universe that are connected in one or more on-line relationships over one or more computer networks to a user, the determined plurality of objects including the first object;
• automatically grouping the determined objects into a plurality of displayable groupings according to the one or more on-line relationships of the objects to the user;
• and
• on a display screen of a computing system, presenting, in a unified view, a graphical representation of the groupings of objects, within the graphical representation of the connectivity universe, the graphical representation of the connectivity universe including a representation of the first object shown as connected to other objects within the connectivity universe and as a smaller rendered representation of the first object shown within the context of the other objects, the smaller rendered representation of the first object being smaller than a full-screen display of the native user interface of the first object so that the other objects within the connectivity universe are visible concurrently with the first object, the smaller rendered representation of the first object that is smaller than a full-screen display displaying the native user interface of the first object on at least a portion of the representation, wherein the representation of the first object is updated to reflect interactions with the native user interface of the first object or is updated to reflect updates of the first object.

A computer system comprising:

• a memory;
• a display screen;
• and
• a display manager that is stored in the memory and configured, when executed on a computer processor, to display a native user interface of a first object within a graphical representation of a connectivity universe context to which the first object belongs, the first object being a physical device, logical device, or a service connected via at least one network to other objects in the connectivity universe and capable of communicating with at least some of the other objects over the at least one network, by causing the computer system to:
• determine a plurality of objects in the connectivity universe that are connected in one or more on-line relationships over one or more computer networks to a user, the determined plurality of objects including a first object;
• automatically group the determined objects into a plurality of displayable groupings according to the one or more on-line relationships of the objects to the user;
• and
• present, in a unified view on the display screen, a graphical representation of the groupings of objects within the graphical representation of the connectivity universe, the graphical representation of the connectivity universe including a representation of the first object shown as connected to other objects within the connectivity universe and as a smaller rendered representation of the first object shown within the context of the other objects, the smaller rendered representation of the first object being smaller than a full-screen display of the native user interface of the first object so that the other objects within the connectivity universe are visible concurrently with the first object, the representation of the first object displaying a depiction of output that is displayed on a display screen of the first object.