Graphical user interface

Abstract

A graphical user interface (GUI) is described which enables hierarchically structured information to be presented and analyzed by a user quickly and easily. In one example, the GUI is for a fraud management system and the information is about “alarms”. Each alarm is an indicator of potential fraud and several types of alarm are presented, where the type of an alarm depends on the method of obtaining that alarm. The types of alarm are arranged in a hierarchical structure and a representation of the hierarchical structure is displayed on a display screen. A user is able to select one or more parts of the hierarchical structure in order to display information about all the alarms of the selected types and subtypes. This enables the user to quickly and easily view required information without the need to make many user actions and selections. The representation of the hierarchical structure may be tailored by the user. This is done by collapsing or expanding parts of the hierarchical representation.

1 . A method of displaying hierarchically structured information, the hierarchy having at least two levels, the method comprising: 
 displaying a first representation of at least part of the hierarchy;    receiving a first user input associated with the first representation to make a first selection of at least part of the hierarchy, at a given one of the levels in the hierarchy;    in response to the first selection, displaying information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy, including information located two or more levels below the level of the first selection; and, displaying a second representation of at least part of the hierarchy, the second representation being one of: 
 independent of the first representation, and  
 inclusive of at least some information having a different format than information displayed in the first representation.  
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprises: 
 displaying information having a common format.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprises: 
 displaying information from a fraud management system.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprises: 
 displaying information located at all levels below the level of the first selection.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprises: 
 displaying information located at multiple different levels.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving a second user input associated with the first representation to make a second selection of at least part of the hierarchy, at a given one of the levels in the hierarchy; and,    in response to the second selection, displaying information located within the second selected part of the hierarchy, including information located two or more levels below the level of the second selection.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving a second user input associated with the second representation to make a second selection of at least part of the hierarchy, at a given one of the levels in the hierarchy; and,    in response to the second selection, displaying information located within the second selected part of the hierarchy, including information located two or more levels below the level of the second selection.    
     
     
         8 . A processor program for displaying hierarchically structured information, the hierarchy having at least two levels, the processor program stored on a processor-readable medium and including instructions to cause a processor to: 
 display a first representation of at least part of the hierarchy;    receive a first user input associated with the first representation to make a first selection of at least part of the hierarchy at a given one of the levels in the hierarchy;    in response to the first selection, display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy, including information located two or more levels below the level of the first selection; and,    display a second representation of at least part of the hierarchy, the second representation being one of: 
 independent of the first representation, and  
 inclusive of at least some information having a different format than the first representation.  
   
     
     
         9 . The processor program of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions to cause a processor to display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprise instructions to cause a processor to: 
 display information having a common format.    
     
     
         10 . The processor program of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions to cause a processor to display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprise instructions to cause a processor to: 
 display information from a fraud management system.    
     
     
         11 . The processor program of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions to cause a processor to display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprise instructions to cause a processor to: 
 display information located at all levels below the level of the first selection.    
     
     
         12 . The processor program of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions to cause a processor to display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprise instructions to cause a processor to: 
 display information located at multiple different levels.    
     
     
         13 . The processor program of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions to cause a processor to: 
 receive a second user input associated with the first representation to make a second selection of at least part of the hierarchy, at a given one of the levels in the hierarchy; and,    in response to the second selection, display information located within the second selected part of the hierarchy, including information located two or more levels below the level of the second selection.    
     
     
         14 . The processor program of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions to cause a processor to: 
 receive a second user input associated with the second representation to make a second selection of at least part of the hierarchy, at a given one of the levels in the hierarchy; and,    in response to the second selection, display information located within the second selected part of the hierarchy, including information located two or more levels below the level of the second selection.    
     
     
         15 . A graphical user interface comprising: 
 a display;    a user input means; and,    software for displaying hierarchically structured information on the display, the hierarchy having at least two levels, the software able to: 
 display a first representation of at least part of the hierarchy;  
 receive, from the user input means, a first user input associated with the first representation to make a first selection of at least part of the hierarchy, at a given one of the levels in the hierarchy;  
 in response to the first selection, display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy, including information located two or more levels below the level of the first selection; and,  
 display a second representation of at least part of the hierarchy, the second representation being one of: 
 independent of the first representation, and  
 inclusive of at least some information having a different format than information displayed in the first representation.  
 
   
     
     
         16 . The graphical user interface of  claim 15 , wherein the software to display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprises software to: 
 display information having a common format.    
     
     
         17 . The graphical user interface of  claim 15 , wherein the software to display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprises software to: 
 display information from a fraud management system.    
     
     
         18 . The graphical user interface of  claim 15 , wherein the software to display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprises software to: 
 display information located at all levels below the level of the first selection.    
     
     
         19 . The graphical user interface of  claim 15 , wherein the software to display information located within the first selected part of the hierarchy comprises software to: 
 display information located at multiple different levels.    
     
     
         20 . The graphical user interface of  claim 15 , wherein the software is further able to: 
 receive, from the user input means, a second user input associated with the first representation to make a second selection of at least part of the hierarchy, at a given one of the levels in the hierarchy; and,    in response to the second selection, display information located within the second selected part of the hierarchy, including information located two or more levels below the level of the second selection.