Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Mark P Mathison

Trajan E Unger

Embodiments use a graphical tree to illustrate hierarchical records including a child record having parent field(s) identifying a first parent record and a second parent record of the child record. The graphical tree is generated by determining a first position for the child record and a second position for the first parent record without considering the second parent record. Subsequently, a third position for the second parent record is determined at a same level as the second position. Once the positions are determined, a first shape, a second shape and a third shape are rendered at the first position, the second position and the third position, respectively. The graphical tree is then generated by visually connecting the first shape with the second shape and the third shape, thereby graphically illustrating the plurality of hierarchical records on a target output medium.

Identifying and graphically representing multiple parent nodes of a child node

Embodiments use a visual cue to identify a record with missing information among a plurality of hierarchical records. Each record includes a parent field and an associated records field. An entry in the parent field identifies a parent record of a given record. An entry in the associated records field identifies records that are associated with the record based on a criterion or one or more predetermined criteria. For a selected record, a first group of records are identified based on the parent field of the selected record. The entries in the associated records field of the selected record are then compared to the first group of records. A missing record missing an entry in the associated records field is identified among the first group of records. When the first record and the first group of hierarchical records are graphically represented on a target output medium, the missing record is represented using a visual cue.

Identifying missing nodes within a graphically represented family

Embodiments use a phantom apex node to graphically illustrate a plurality of hierarchical records. Each record includes a parent field, and an entry in the parent field identifies a parent record of a given record. The parent record is higher in hierarchy than the given record. Embodiments identify record(s) that have no entry in the parent field. A phantom apex record is added to the database. A reference to the phantom apex record is inserted for each record that did not have an entry in the parent field. An x-y coordinate position is determined for all hierarchical records based on the parent field in each record. Once the positions are determined, all references to the phantom apex record are removed from all of the parent fields, and the phantom apex record itself is removed from the database. The plurality of records are then graphically rendered on a target output medium.

Growing community of inventors

Walnut Creek, CA, United States of America

Mark P Mathison