Methods for altering the display of table data suitably for visualization within visible display widths

• US 20060117253A1
• Filed: 12/01/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Peter Polash
• Original Assignee: Peter Polash
• Inventors: Polash, Peter
• Application Number:
  US11/001,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20060117253A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for reformatting tabular data based on the known characteristics of a target display device that would otherwise be insufficient in terms of display resolution to retain the visual cues indicating relationships between data items, in a manner that introduces visual and positional consistency for display of such data.

Claims

1. For encoding data sets for display, the data in each data set comprising records of which each of at least some includes a plurality of source data fields such that source data fields in different records correspond to one other, a method comprising:

A) dynamically determining from the data set and information related to a display resolution a display layout of cells containing display contents derived from the source data fields, the determination being made in accordance with such a relationship among data sets, display resolutions, and display layouts that;

i) all cells whose contents are derived from source data fields in the same source record are displayed contiguously within the width of the display resolution;

ii) all cells whose contents are derived from the same set of corresponding source data fields have a consistent absolute horizontal position;

iii) all cells whose contents are derived from corresponding source data fields have a consistent relative vertical position, where such consistent relative vertical position shall mean that if any two cells derived from one source record are displayed above one another then respectively corresponding cells derived from any other source record will be respectively displayed above one another; and

iv) there exists at least one pair of combinations of data set and resolution such that each of the two data sets consist of records that consist of fields that are instances of the same set of attributes in the same order and such that;

a) in the display layout that results from a first of those combinations;

(1) at least two cells whose contents are derived from fields of the same record are so configured that one is located entirely above the other; and

(2) at least two cells whose contents are derived from fields of that record are so configured that one is located entirely to the left of the other; and

b) in the display layout that results from the other of the combinations, there are at least two adjacent cells whose contents are derived from the fields from which are derived the contents of non-adjacent fields in the display layout that results from the first combination; and

B) generating signals representing the resultant display layout.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein each such data set, as given before the encoding, additionally specifies a display layout in which, for each of the data set'"'"'s records, a respective separate row of cells is vertically offset from each other such row and displays the contents of only that record'"'"'s fields.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein not all fields of any given record are displayed in the same style, and corresponding fields of different records are displayed in the same style.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein not all fields of any given record are displayed in the same style, and corresponding fields of different records are displayed in the same style.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the display layout is determined by:

A) treating each record as divided into a plurality of sub-records; and

B) so determining cell positions that;

i) cells whose contents are derived from fields in the same subrecord are arranged in the same row; and

ii) cells whose contents are derived from fields in the different subrecords are arranged in different rows.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein each such data set, as given before the encoding, additionally specifies a display layout in which, for each of the data set'"'"'s records, a respective separate row of cells is vertically offset from each other such row and displays the contents of only that record'"'"'s fields.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein not all fields of any given record are displayed in the same style, and corresponding fields of different records are displayed in the same style.

8. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein the relationship among data sets, display resolutions, and display layouts is such that there exists at least one combination of data set and display resolution for which in the resultant layout:

A) there is a first cell disposed immediately above a second cell; and

B) at least one of the following is true;

i) the left and right borders of the first cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the second cell; and

ii) the left and right borders of the second cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the first cell.

9. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein not all fields of any given record are displayed in the same style, and corresponding fields of different records are displayed in the same style.

10. A method as defined in claim 5 further comprising displaying data in accordance with the display layout that the signals represent.

11. A method as defined in claim 10 wherein the relationship among data sets, display resolutions, and display layouts is such that there exists at least one combination of data set and display resolution for which in the resultant layout:

A) there is a first cell disposed immediately above a second cell; and

B) at least one of the following is true;

i) the left and right borders of the first cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the second cell; and

ii) the left and right borders of the second cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the first cell.

12. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the relationship among data sets, display resolutions, and display layouts is such that there exists at least one combination of data set and display resolution for which in the resultant layout:

A) there is a first cell disposed immediately above a second cell; and

B) at least one of the following is true;

i) the left and right borders of the first cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the second cell; and

ii) the left and right borders of the second cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the first cell.

13. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising responding to the signals representing the display layout by displaying data in the layout thereby represented.

14. For encoding data sets for display, the data in each data set comprising records of which each of at least some includes a plurality of source data fields such that source data fields in different records correspond to one other, an apparatus comprising:

A) circuitry for dynamically determining from the data set and information related to a display resolution a display layout of cells containing display contents derived from the source data fields, the determination being made in accordance with such a relationship among data sets, display resolutions, and display layouts that;

i) all cells whose contents are derived from source data fields in the same source record are displayed contiguously within the width of the display resolution;

ii) all cells whose contents are derived from the same set of corresponding source data fields have a consistent absolute horizontal position;

iii) all cells whose contents are derived from corresponding source data fields have a consistent relative vertical position, where such consistent relative vertical position, shall mean that if any two cells derived from one source record are displayed above one another then respectively corresponding cells derived from any other source record will be respectively displayed above one another; and

iv) there exists at least one pair of combinations of data set and resolution such that each of the two data sets consist of records that consist of fields that are instances of the same set of attributes in the same order and such that;

a) in the display layout that results from a first of those combinations;

(1) at least two cells whose contents are derived from fields of the same record are so configured that one is located entirely above the other; and

(2) at least two cells whose contents are derived from fields of that record are so configured that one is located entirely to the left of the other; and

b) in the display layout that results from the other of the combinations, there are at least two adjacent cells whose contents are derived from the fields from which are derived the contents of non-adjacent fields in the display layout that results from the first combination; and

B) circuitry for generating signals that represent the resultant display layout.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the display layout is determined by:

A) treating each record as divided into a plurality of sub-records; and

B) so determining cell positions that;

i) cells whose contents are derived from fields in the same subrecord are arranged in the same row; and

ii) cells whose contents are derived from fields in the different subrecords are arranged in different rows.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein each such data set, as given before the encoding, additionally specifies a display layout in which, for each of the data set'"'"'s records, a respective separate row of cells is vertically offset from each other such row and displays the contents of only that record'"'"'s fields.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein the apparatus is a proxy mechanism and the data set to be encoded for display is at least a part of information received from a server as a result of a request made by the proxy mechanism in response a client request received thereby.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein the apparatus is a web browser and the data set to be encoded for display is included in a web page received thereby.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein the relationship among data sets, display resolutions, and display layouts is such that there exists at least one combination of data set and display resolution for which in the resultant layout:

A) there is a first cell disposed immediately above a second cell; and

B) at least one of the following is true;

i) the left and right borders of the first cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the second cell; and

ii) the left and right borders of the second cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the first cell.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the relationship among data sets, display resolutions, and display layouts is such that there exists at least one combination of data set and display resolution for which in the resultant layout:

A) there is a first cell disposed immediately above a second cell; and

B) at least one of the following is true;

i) the left and right borders of the first cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the second cell; and

ii) the left and right borders of the second cell horizontally bracket the right or left border of the first cell.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the apparatus is a proxy mechanism and the data set to be encoded for display is at least a part of information received from a server as a result of a request made by the proxy mechanism in response a client request received thereby.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the apparatus is a web browser and the data set to be encoded for display is included in a web page received thereby.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the apparatus is a proxy mechanism and the data set to be encoded for display is at least a part of information received from a server as a result of a request made by the proxy mechanism in response a client request received thereby.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the apparatus is a web browser and the data set to be encoded for display is included in a web page received thereby.

25. A storage medium containing instructions readable by a computer system to configure the computer system as the apparatus defined in claim 14.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein the apparatus is a proxy mechanism and the data set to be encoded for display is at least a part of information received from a server as a result of a request made by the proxy mechanism in response a client request received thereby.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein the apparatus is a web browser and the data set to be encoded for display is included in a web page received thereby.

28. A storage medium containing instructions readable by a computer system to configure the computer system as the apparatus defined in claim 15.

29. An apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein each such data set, as given before the encoding, additionally specifies a display layout in which, for each of the data set'"'"'s records, a respective separate row of cells is vertically offset from each other such row and displays the contents of only that record'"'"'s fields.

30. An apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein the apparatus is a proxy mechanism and the data set to be encoded for display is at least a part of information received from a server as a result of a request made by the proxy mechanism in response a client request received thereby.

31. An apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein the apparatus is a web browser and the data set to be encoded for display is included in a web page received thereby.

32. An apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein the apparatus is a proxy mechanism and the data set to be encoded for display is at least a part of information received from a server as a result of a request made by the proxy mechanism in response a client request received thereby.

33. An apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein the apparatus is a web browser and the data set to be encoded for display is included in a web page received thereby.

34. A storage medium containing instructions readable by a computer system to configure the computer system as the apparatus defined in claim 19.

35. A storage medium containing instructions readable by a computer system to configure the computer system as the apparatus defined in claim 20.