System and method to display and manage data within hierarchies and polyarchies of information

Claim 1

A method comprising: specifying an object having first and second intersecting hierarchies, the first and second intersecting hierarchies comprise a plurality of additional objects; illustrating the object with respect to the first hierarchy; and presenting a second intersecting hierarchy selection option to illustrate the object with resnect to the second intersecting hierarchy in response to user selection; presenting context sensitive information for the object and an additional object, the context sensitive information for the additional object comprising an indication of a third hierarchy; and (a) if the first hierarchy intersects the third hierarchy, illustrating both the object and the additional object with respect to the third hierarchy; and (b) if the first hierarchy does not intersect the third hierarchy, illustrating only the additional object with respect to the third hierarchy.

Claim 2

A method comprising: specifying an object having first and second intersecting hierarchies, the first and second intersecting hierarchies comprise a plurality of additional objects; illustrating the object with respect to the first hierarchy; and presenting a second intersecting hierarchy selection option to illustrate the object with resnect to the second intersecting hierarchy in response to user selection; presenting context sensitive information for the object and an additional object, the context sensitive information for the additional object comprising an indication of a third hierarchy; and (a) if the first hierarchy intersects the third hierarchy, illustrating both the object and the additional object with respect to the third hierarchy; and (b) if the first hierarchy does not intersect the third hierarchy, illustrating only the additional object with respect to the third hierarchy.

Claim 14

A method comprising: presenting an object with respect to a first hierarchy of information; switching from the first hierarchy of information to a second hierarchy of information using a visual pivot technique in which the second hierarchy of information is visually pivoted about a pivot axis intersecting the object and the object is presented with respect to the second hierarchy of information; and wherein the first and second hierarchies intersect at the object, the first hierarchy associated a first data relationship of the object the second hierarchy associated with a second data relationship of the object, the first data relationship being different than the second data relationship.

Claim 15

A method comprising: presenting an object with respect to a first hierarchy of information; switching from the first hierarchy of information to a second hierarchy of information using a visual pivot technique in which the second hierarchy of information is visually pivoted about a pivot axis intersecting the object and the object is presented with respect to the second hierarchy of information; and wherein the first and second hierarchies intersect at the object, the first hierarchy associated a first data relationship of the object the second hierarchy associated with a second data relationship of the object, the first data relationship being different than the second data relationship.

Claim 20

A system comprising: a computer coupled to a data store comprising a plurality of databases, the computer comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the memory comprising computer-executable instructions for: specifying an object from the data store; in response to specifying, receiving data from the data store, the data comprising first and second hierarchies of information that correspond to the specified object, the first and second hierarchies of information intersecting at the object, the first hierarchy being associated a first data relationship of the object, the second hierarchy being associated with a second data relationship of the object, the first data relationship being different than the second data relationship; visually morphing from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy to illustrate the object and one or more additional objects within the first hierarchy, visually morphing comprising: (a) simultaneously illustrating at least a portion of both the first and second intersecting hierarchies; and (b) graphically pivoting about the object to temporarily show a relationship of the objects with respect to the first and second intersecting hierarchies; presenting an indication of the second hierarchy for user selection to illustrate the object with respect to the second hierarchy.

Claim 21

A system comprising: a computer coupled to a data store comprising a plurality of databases, the computer comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the memory comprising computer-executable instructions for: specifying an object from the data store; in response to specifying, receiving data from the data store, the data comprising first and second hierarchies of information that correspond to the specified object, the first and second hierarchies of information intersecting at the object, the first hierarchy being associated a first data relationship of the object, the second hierarchy being associated with a second data relationship of the object, the first data relationship being different than the second data relationship; visually morphing from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy to illustrate the object and one or more additional objects within the first hierarchy, visually morphing comprising: (a) simultaneously illustrating at least a portion of both the first and second intersecting hierarchies; and (b) graphically pivoting about the object to temporarily show a relationship of the objects with respect to the first and second intersecting hierarchies; presenting an indication of the second hierarchy for user selection to illustrate the object with respect to the second hierarchy.