Visualization of multi-dimensional data having an unbounded dimension

• US 20050060667A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Robbins, Daniel C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,418,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

An interactive visualization of stored data includes a representation of a three-dimensional generally helical path extending between spaced apart ends of the path. Selected parts of the stored data are mapped to corresponding parts of the helical path to facilitate visualization of the stored data. The stored data may include an unbounded dimension (e.g., time) that is mapped along the helical path. One or more user interface elements may be associated with the helical path to effect display of additional information associated with a selected part of the path.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium to facilitate visualization of data having at least one substantially unbounded dimension, comprising:

one or more storage component(s) to store the data; and

a graphics engine that accesses the stored data and characterizes the stored data on a display as a three-dimensional graphical representation, wherein the graphical representation include an elongated substantially helical path, the helical path having a plurality of segments corresponding to different aspects of the substantially unbounded dimension of the stored data, the substantially unbounded dimension corresponding to time, the helical path having associated periodic intervals with which the stored data is associated, the periodic intervals extend between ends of the helical path and the helical path tapers as a three-dimensional spiral near at least one of the ends of the helical path to effectively constitute a conical envelope.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, the stored data comprises programming data indicative of at least one of audio and visual programming, the graphical representation forms part of an interactive electronic program guide utilized to visualize the programming data.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a user interface component associated with the graphics engine, the user interface component receives instructions based on a selection of a selectable element of the graphical representation.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, the graphics engine adjusts the graphical representation in response to instructions received by the user interface component.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a mapping system associated with the storage system, the mapping system maps selected data from the storage system to a corresponding part of the graphical representation, wherein the graphic engine converts the selected data to the corresponding part of the graphical representation.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a user interface associated with the graphics engine, the user interface receives instructions based on a selection of part of the graphical representation, the graphics engine changes the graphical representation in response to instructions received by the user interface to visualize other aspects of associated stored data.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a user interface element to select a user-controllable viewpoint of the graphical representation, the graphic engine manipulating the graphical representation to visualize the graphical representation based on the selected viewpoint.

8. A computer-implemented method to effectuate visualization of data having one or more generally unbounded dimension, comprising:

retrieving stored data from at least one storage system;

characterizing the retrieved data as a three-dimensional graphical representation, the graphical representation including at least one extended substantially helical path, the at least one helical path having a plurality of segments corresponding to different aspects of the generally unbounded dimension of the retrieved data, the generally unbounded dimension corresponding to time, the at least one helical path having associated periodic intervals with which the retrieved data is associated, the periodic intervals extend between ends of the helical path, the at least one helical path tapering as a three-dimensional spiral near at least one end of the at least one helical path to approximately describe at least one conical envelope.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, the retrieved data encompassing data indicative of at least one audio and visual program, the graphical representation comprises part of an interactive electronic program guide employed to visualize the data.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising associating a user interface with the graphics component, wherein the user interface receives instructions based on a selectable element of the graphical representation.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, in response to instructions received from the user interface, the graphics component modifies the graphical representation.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, employing a mapping system associated with the at least one storage system.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising mapping selected data from the at least one storage system to a corresponding part of the graphical representation, wherein the graphics component converts the selected data to a corresponding portion of the graphical representation.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the user interface receives instructions based on a selection of a portion of the graphical representation.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising utilizing the graphics component to adjust the graphical representation in response to the instructions received by the user interface to visualize other aspects of the retrieved data.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, utilizing a user interface element to select a user-controllable viewpoint of the graphical representation.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising employing the graphics component to manipulate the graphical representation to visualize the graphical representation based on the selected viewpoint.

18. A computer readable medium having stored thereon program code to provide visualization of stored data, comprising;

a first code segment to retrieve multi-dimensional data from at least one storage medium;

a second code segment to generate a visualization based on at least a portion of the retrieved data, the visualization comprising a depiction of at least one three-dimensional approximately helical path having at least one spaced apart end, the at least one spaced apart end effectively circumscribing a conical envelope;

a third code segment to map different parts of the retrieved data to corresponding portions of the at least one three-dimensional approximately helical path; and

a forth code segment to modify the visualization in response to an interactive part of the visualization being selected.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, the multi-dimensional data comprising data indicative of at least one of audio and visual programming.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, the generated visualization of the second code segment providing part of an interactive electronic program guide operative to depict the at least one of audio and visual programming.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, the third code segment maps a substantially unbounded dimension of the retrieved multi-dimensional data along the at least one approximately helical path.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, the at least one approximately helical path corresponds to time, the at least one helical path having associated periodic intervals with which corresponding retrieved data is associated.