Customer activity tracking system and method

• US 20030107575A1
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bally Technologies Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Technologies Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cardno, Andrew John
• Application Number:
  US10/338,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20030107575A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A data visualisation system including a data value memory in which is maintained a finite set of data values, a display arranged to display a representation of each data value centered on respective data points, a plurality of the data points positioned in a substantially circular arrangement, and a contour generator arranged to generate and display a contoured representation around each data point such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum. A data visualisation computer program and data visualisation method are encompassed.

Claims

1. A data visualisation system comprising:

a data value memory in which is maintained a finite set of data values;

a display arranged to display a representation of each data value centered on respective data points; and

a contour generator arranged to generate and display a contoured representation around each data point such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum.

3. A data visualisation system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising:

a memory in which is maintained an interaction database of interaction data representing interactions between customers and merchants; and

a retrieval device arranged to retrieve from the interaction database data representing interactions between customers and merchants, to construct the finite set of data values from the retrieved data and to store the data values in the data value memory.

5. A data visualisation system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the merchant operates from one or more websites which are accessed by customers over a computer network, each data point representing a merchant website page.

6. A data visualisation system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the plurality of the data points are positioned in a circular arrangement.

2. A data visualisation system comprising:

a data value memory in which is maintained a finite set of data values;

a display arranged to display a representation of each data value centered on respective data points; and

a contour generator arranged to generate and display one or more contour lines around each data point, each contour line representing data values which are less than the data value of the data point around which the contour line is displayed.

4. A data visualisation system comprising:

a data value memory in which is maintained an interaction database of interaction data representing interactions between customers and merchants;

a retrieval device arranged to retrieve from the interaction database data representing interactions between customers and merchants and to construct a finite set of data values from the retrieved data; and

a display arranged to display a graphical representation of at least one merchant and to superimpose a contoured representation of the data values on the graphical representation of the merchant, such that each data value is displayed as local maximum.

7. A method of data visualisation comprising the steps of:

maintaining in a data value memory a finite set of data values;

displaying a representation of each data value centered on respective data points; and

generating and displaying a contoured representation around each data point such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum.

9. A method of data visualisation as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

maintaining in a memory an interaction database of interaction data representing interactions between customers and merchants;

retrieving from the interaction database data representing interactions between customers and merchants;

constructing the finite set of data values from the retrieved data; and

storing the data values in the data value memory.

8. A method of data visualisation comprising the steps of:

maintaining in a data value memory a finite set of data values;

displaying a representation of each data value centered on respective data points; and

generating and displaying one or more contour lines around each data point, each contour line representing data values which are less than the data value of the data point around which the contour line is displayed.

10. A method of data visualisation comprising the steps of:

maintaining in an interaction database interaction data representing interactions between customers and merchants;

retrieving from the interaction database data representing interactions between customers and merchants;

constructing a finite set of data values from the retrieved data;

displaying a graphical representation of at least one merchant; and

superimposing a contoured representation of the data values on the graphical representation of the merchant, such that each data value is displayed as a local maximum.

11. A method of data visualisation as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the merchant operates from one or more websites which are accessed by customers over a computer network, each data point representing a merchant website page.

12. A method of data visualisation as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11 further comprising the step of positioning the plurality of data points in a circular arrangement.

13. A data visualisation computer program which enables:

maintaining in a data value memory a finite set of data values;

displaying a representation of each data value centered on respective data points; and

generating and displaying a contoured representation around each data point such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum.

15. A data visualisation computer program as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14 which further enables:

maintaining in a memory an interaction database of interaction data representing interactions between customers and merchants;

retrieving from the interaction database data representing interactions between customers and merchants;

constructing the finite set of data values from the retrieved data; and

storing the data values in the data value memory.

17. A data visualisation computer program as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the merchant operates from one or more websites which are accessed by customers over a computer network, each data point representing a merchant website page.

18. A data visualisation computer program as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 17 wherein the merchant operates from one or more websites which are accessed by customers over a computer network, each data point representing a merchant website page.

19. A data visualisation computer program as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 18 embodied on a computer-readable medium.

14. A data visualization computer program which enables:

maintaining in a data value memory a finite set of data values;

displaying a representation of each data value centered on respective data points; and

generating and displaying one or more contour lines around each data point, each contour line representing data values which are less than the data value of the data point around which the contour line is displayed.

16. A data visualisation computer program which enables:

maintaining in an interaction database interaction data representing interactions between customers and merchants;

retrieving from the interaction database data representing interactions between customers and merchants;

constructing a finite set of data values from the retrieved data;

displaying a graphical representation of at least one merchant; and

superimposing a contoured representation of the data values on the graphical representation of the merchant, such that each data value is displayed as a local maximum.

20. A data visualisation system comprising:

a data value memory in which is maintained a finite set of data values;

a display arranged to display a representation of each data value centered on respective data points, a plurality of the data points positioned in a circular arrangement; and

a relationship generator arranged to generate and display relationships between one or more pairs of the data points positioned in a circular arrangement.

21. A data visualisation system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the display is arranged to display a first data point having the highest data value and to display the remaining data points in a circular arrangement around the first data point.

22. A data visualisation system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the display is arranged to display a first data point having the highest data value, to display a plurality of data points having data values exceeding a predefined threshold in a circular arrangement around and at substantially equal first distances from the first data point, and to display the remaining data points in a circular arrangement around and at substantially equal second distances from the first data point;

the second distances greater than the first distances.

23. A data visualisation system as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 22 wherein each data point represents a website page, the relationship generator arranged to display relationships representing web traffic between one or more pairs of website pages.

24. A data visualisation system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the relationship generator is arranged to display an indicator of web traffic magnitude between pairs of website pages.

25. A method of data visualisation comprising the steps of:

maintaining in a data value memory a finite set of data values;

displaying a representation of each data value centered on respective data points, a plurality of the data points positioned in a circular arrangement;

generating and displaying relationships between one or more pairs of the data points positioned in a circular arrangement.

26. A method of data visualisation as claimed in claim 25 further comprising the steps of displaying a first data point having the highest data value;

and displaying the remaining data points in a circular arrangement around the first data point.

27. A method of data visualisation as claimed in claim 25 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a first data point having the highest data value;

displaying a plurality of data points having data values exceeding a predefined threshold in a circular arrangement around and at substantially equal first distances from the first data point; and

displaying the remaining data points in a circular arrangement around and at substantially equal second distances from the first data point;

the second distances greater than the first distances.

28. A method of data visualisation as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 27 wherein each data point represents a website page, the method further comprising the step of displaying relationships representing web traffic between one or more pairs of website pages.

29. A method of data visualisation as claimed in claim 28 further comprising the step of displaying an indicator of web traffic magnitude between pairs of website pages.

30. A data visualisation computer program which enables:

maintaining in a data value memory a finite set of data values;

displaying a representation of each data value centered on respective data points, a plurality of the data points positioned in a circular arrangement;

generating and displaying relationships between one or more pairs of the data points positioned in a circular arrangement.

31. A data visualisation computer program as claimed in claim 30 which further enables displaying a first data point having the highest data value;

and displaying the remaining data points in a circular arrangement around the first data point.

32. A data visualisation computer program as claimed in claim 30 which further enables:

displaying a first data point having the highest data value;

displaying a plurality of data points having data values exceeding a predefined threshold in a circular arrangement around and at substantially equal first distances from the first data point; and

displaying the remaining data points in a circular arrangement around and at substantially equal second distances from the first data point;

the second distances greater than the first distances.

33. A data visualisation computer program as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 32 wherein each data point represents a website page, the computer program further enabling displaying relationships representing web traffic between one or more pairs of website pages.

34. A data visualisation computer program as claimed in claim 33 which further enables displaying an indicator of web traffic magnitude between pairs of website pages.

35. A data visualisation computer program as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 34 embodied on a computer-readable medium.