Multi-touch gesture-based interface for network design and management

Abstract

Methods, computing devices, and computer-readable media are provided for interpreting gestures and triggering actions on a graph when the gestures are detected. The triggered actions may include the addition or deletion of nodes, connections between nodes, or connections between node ports; the expansion or collapse of a set of nodes; or the copying of nodes. The input may describe an action of selecting, dragging, holding, flicking, shaking, pinching, unpinching, or spinning a graphical object such as a node or a connection. Gesture interpretation logic determines whether the input matches a stored or known gesture. If the input matches a gesture, then the gesture interpretation logic may perform an action mapped to the gesture instead of or in addition to the normal action that would otherwise be caused by each individual input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 generating a network topology graph comprising a first set of one or more graph nodes, a second set of one or more graph nodes, and a graphical representation of a connection between the first set and the second set, wherein the graph nodes represent network elements;   receiving, at a touch-sensitive display, touch input that selects and shakes the first set on the network topology graph;   in response to the touch input, removing the graphical representation of the connection between the first set and the second set on the network topology graph;   wherein the first set remains selected for dragging by the touch input to enable another action;   wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation of the connection between the first set and the second set is a first graphical representation of a first connection; wherein the network topology graph further comprises a third set of one or more graph nodes, and a second graphical representation of a second connection between the first set and the third set; the method further comprising:
 in response to the touch input, removing the second graphical representation of the second connection between the first set and the third set in addition to removing the first graphical representation of the first connection.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , the method further comprising, in response to the touch input, replacing the first graphical representation of the first connection and the second graphical representation of the second connection by adding a third connection between the second set and the third set. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the touch input shakes the first set above a threshold rate. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the touch input shakes the first set longer than a threshold amount of time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first set comprises a first graph node and a second graph node; wherein the touch input includes multi-touch input that holds the first graph node while the second graph node is selected by only tapping the second graph node. 
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 generating a network topology graph comprising a first set of one or more graph nodes, a second set of one or more graph nodes, a third set of one or more graph nodes, and a graphical representation of a connection between the first set and the second set, wherein the graph nodes represent network elements;   receiving, at a touch-sensitive display, touch input that selects and moves the third set near the connection between the first set and the second set on the network topology graph;   in response to the touch input, inserting the third set between the first set and the second set by:   removing the graphical representation of the connection between the first set and the second set,   adding a second connection between the first set and the third set, and adding a third connection between the second set and the third set;   wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the touch input moves the third set within a threshold distance of the connection prior to inserting the third set. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the touch input moves the third set over the connection between the first set and the second set prior to inserting the third set. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the touch input holds the first set for a threshold amount of time prior to inserting the third set. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inserting occurs immediately after the touch input moves the third set near the connection between the first set and the second set. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the third set comprises a first graph node and a second graph node; wherein the touch input includes multi-touch input that holds the first graph node while the second graph node is selected by only tapping the second graph node. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second connection between the first set and the third set is between the first set and the first graph node of the third set; and wherein the third connection between the second set and the third set is between the second set and the second graph node of the third set. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 prior to adding the second connection between the first set and the first graph node of the third set,   detecting that proximity between the first graph node and the first set is less than the proximity of the second graph node and the first set; and   selecting the first graph node for adding the second connection.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 prior to adding the third connection between the second set and the second graph node of the third set,   detecting that proximity between the second graph node and the second set is less than the proximity of the first graph node and the second set; and   selecting the second graph node for adding the third connection.   
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 generating a network topology graph comprising a first set of one or more graph nodes and a second set of one or more graph nodes, wherein the graph nodes represent network elements;   receiving, at a touch-sensitive display, touch input that selects and holds the first set on the network topology graph;   in response to the touch input, adding a graphical representation of a connection between the first set and the second set on the network topology graph;   maintaining the added graphical representation of the connection between the first set and the second set on the network topology graph, while the touch input continues to drag the first set away from the second set to a third set of one or more graph nodes;   in response to the continued touch input, adding or removing a second graphical representation of a second connection between the first set and the third set on the network topology graph while maintaining the added graphical representation of the connection between the first set and the second set;   wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the touch input drags the first set within a threshold distance of the second set and holds the first set within the threshold distance for a threshold amount of time. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first set comprises a first graph node and a second graph node; wherein the touch input includes multi-touch input that holds the first graph node while the second graph node is selected by only tapping the second graph node. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the touch input that aligns a first port of a first plurality of ports of the first set with a second port of a second plurality of ports of the second set based on multi-touch input that spins the first set. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the connection is added between a first port of a first plurality of ports of the first set and a second port of a second plurality of ports of the second set by:
 selecting the second port based at least in part on a distance between the second port and the first set; and   selecting the first port based on a characteristic of the second port.