Computer systems and methods for visualizing data with generation of marks

US 20060206512A1
Filed: 12/02/2004
Published: 09/14/2006
Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1. A method of forming a visual plot using a dataset having a plurality of fields, wherein the dataset contains data that comprises a plurality of tuples, the method comprising:

organizing the visual plot into a plurality of panes, wherein each of said panes has at least a first axis and wherein said first axis corresponds to a first field from said plurality of fields;

assigning a pane type to each pane in said plurality of panes according to a first type of said first field;

determining a mark for each pane based on said pane type; and

populating the visual plot with said data.

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Abstract

A method for generating marks when displaying data, such as the results of a query across a database. The method is preferably used in conjunction with a dataset whose fields comprise a plurality of levels. A visual plot is constructed based on a specification. A first level from the plurality of levels is represented by a first component of the visual plot. A second level from the plurality of levels is represented by a second component of the visual plot. The dataset is optionally queried to retrieve data in accordance with the specification. The visual plot is populated with the retrieved data in accordance with the specification.

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150 Claims

1. A method of forming a visual plot using a dataset having a plurality of fields, wherein the dataset contains data that comprises a plurality of tuples, the method comprising:
- organizing the visual plot into a plurality of panes, wherein each of said panes has at least a first axis and wherein said first axis corresponds to a first field from said plurality of fields;
  
  assigning a pane type to each pane in said plurality of panes according to a first type of said first field;
  
  determining a mark for each pane based on said pane type; and
  
  populating the visual plot with said data.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
- - 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said dataset is a database.
  - 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the database is a relational database.
  - 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the database is a hierarchical database.
  - 5. The method of claim 2 wherein the database is an unstructured database.
  - 6. The method of any one of claims 1-5 additionally comprising:
    - querying the dataset to obtain retrieved data, and wherein the visual plot is populated with said retrieved data.
  - 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said retrieved data comprises a set of tuples.
  - 8. The method of claim 7 wherein said populating said visual plot comprises associating each tuple of said set of tuples with a pane in said plurality of panes.
  - 9. The method of claim 1 wherein organizing the visual plot is in accordance with a specification.
  - 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said populating the visual plot is in accordance with said specification.
  - 11. The method of claim 9 wherein said specification is expressed in a language based on a one or more fields from the plurality of fields.
  - 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said language comprises a set of rules and a number of operations.
  - 13. The method of claim 12 wherein said language uses a table algebra.
  - 14. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of panes comprises a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.
  - 15. The method of claim 14 wherein each field in said plurality of fields has a plurality of levels, and wherein a first level from said plurality of levels is represented by a first component of said visual plot and wherein a second level from said plurality of levels is represented by a second component of said visual plot, wherein said first component and said second component are not the same as one another, and said first component and said second component may be from the same field or from different fields.
  - 16. The method of claim 15 wherein said first component and said second component are each independently selected from the group consisting of:
    - one or more rows in said visual plot, one or more columns in said visual plot, one or more layers in said visual plot, an axis of said visual plot, a graphic in said visual plot, and a level of detail of a graphic in said visual plot.
  - 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said first component is said plurality of rows and said second component is said plurality of columns.
  - 18. The method of claim 16 wherein said first component is said plurality of rows and said second component is said plurality of layers.
  - 19. The method of claim 16 wherein said first component is said plurality of columns and said second component is said plurality of layers.
  - 20. The method of claim 1 wherein said first type is selected from the group consisting of:
    - time, numerical, categorical, and geolocational.
  - 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said first type is time.
  - 22. The method of claim 20 wherein said first type is numerical, and said mark is shape.
  - 23. The method of claim 20 wherein said first type is categorical, and said mark is text.
  - 24. The method of claim 20 wherein said first type is geolocational.
  - 25. The method of claim 20 wherein said first axis is an angular polar coordinate, and said mark is a segment of a pie chart.
  - 26. The method of claim 1 wherein said mark is selected from the group consisting of:
    - text form, bar chart, pie chart, 3-dimensional bar-chart, 3-dimensional projection, hologram, Gantt plot, and scatterplot.
  - 27. The method of claim 9 wherein said specification comprises an algebraic expression that includes an operand.
  - 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the dataset is a hierarchical database, and said algebraic expression represents an operation on said hierarchical database.
  - 29. The method of claim 9 wherein said specification comprises a first algebraic expression for said plurality of rows and a second algebraic expression for said plurality of columns.
  - 30. The method of claim 29 wherein said specification further organizes said plurality of panes into a plurality of layers;
    - and said specification further comprises a third algebraic expression for said plurality of layers.
  - 31. The method of claim 15 wherein said first component of said visual plot is a first axis of said visual plot and said second component of said visual plot is a second axis of said visual plot.
  - 32. The method of claim 15 wherein one of said first level and said second level represents a time period.
  - 33. The method of claim 32 wherein said time period is any one of:
    - a year, a quarter, a month, a week, a day, an hour, a minute, or a second.
  - 34. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said panes additionally has a second axis that corresponds to a second field from said plurality of fields and wherein said second field has a second type.
  - 35. The method of claim 34 wherein said first axis and said second axis are orthogonal to one another.
  - 36. The method of claim 34 wherein said first axis and said second axis are disposed at an angle to one another wherein said angle is less than 180°
    - and is other than 90°
      
      .
  - 37. The method of claim 35 wherein said first axis and said second axis are subjected to a transformation selected from the group consisting of:
    - rotation, reflection, inversion, and shear.
  - 38. The method of claim 34 wherein said first type and said second type, together, form a pane type, and wherein a rule is associated with said pane type.
  - 39. The method of claim 34 wherein said assigning a pane type to each pane is according to said first type and a second type of said second field.
  - 40. The method of claim 34 wherein said first type and said second type are independently selected from the group consisting of:
    - time, numerical, categorical, and geolocational.
  - 41. The method of claim 40, wherein both of said first type and said second type are ordinal, and said mark is text.
  - 42. The method of claim 40 wherein both of said first type and said second type are numerical, and said mark is a shape.
  - 43. The method of claim 40 wherein one of said first type and said second type is ordinal, one of said first type and said second type is numerical, and said mark is a bar.
  - 44. The method of claim 40 wherein one of said first type and said second type is ordinal, one of said first type and said second type is time, and said mark is Gantt.
  - 45. The method of claim 40 wherein one of said first type and said second type is time, one of said first type and said second type is numerical, and said mark is a line.
  - 46. The method of claim 40 wherein one of said first type and said second type is geolocational, and said mark is a map symbol.
  - 47. The method of claim 1 wherein one mark is assigned to each tuple in said plurality of tuples.
  - 48. The method of claim 1 wherein a mark is formed from more than one tuple in said plurality of tuples.
  - 49. The method of claim 48 wherein the mark is a polygon.
  - 50. The method of claim 34 wherein each of said panes additionally has a third axis that corresponds to a third field from said plurality of fields, and said mark is a 3-dimensional mark.

51. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism for forming a visual plot using a dataset having a plurality of fields, wherein the dataset contains data that comprises a plurality of tuples, the computer program mechanism comprising:
- instructions for organizing the visual plot into a plurality of panes, wherein each of said panes has at least a first axis and wherein said first axis corresponds to a first field from said plurality of fields;
  
  instructions for assigning a pane type to each pane in said plurality of panes according to a first type of said first field;
  
  instructions for determining a mark for each pane based on said pane type; and
  
  instructions for populating said visual plot with said data.
- View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100)
- - 52. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein said dataset is a database.
  - 53. The computer program product of claim 52 wherein the database is a relational database.
  - 54. The computer program product of claim 52 wherein the database is a hierarchical database.
  - 55. The computer program product of claim 52 wherein the database is an unstructured database.
  - 56. The computer program product of any one of claims 51-55 additionally comprising:
    - querying the dataset to obtain retrieved data, and wherein the visual plot is populated with said retrieved data.
  - 57. The computer program product of claim 56 wherein said retrieved data comprises a set of tuples.
  - 58. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein said populating said visual plot comprises associating each tuple of said set of tuples with a pane in said plurality of panes.
  - 59. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein organizing the visual plot is in accordance with a specification.
  - 60. The computer program product of claim 59 wherein said populating the visual plot is in accordance with said specification.
  - 61. The computer program product of claim 59 wherein said specification is expressed in a language based on a one or more fields from the plurality of fields.
  - 62. The computer program product of claim 61 wherein said language comprises a set of rules and a number of operations.
  - 63. The computer program product of claim 62 wherein said language uses a table algebra.
  - 64. The computer program product of claim 59 wherein said specification comprises an algebraic expression that includes an operand.
  - 65. The computer program product of claim 64, wherein the dataset is a hierarchical database, and said algebraic expression represents an operation on said hierarchical database.
  - 66. The computer program product of claim 59 wherein said specification comprises a first algebraic expression for said plurality of rows and a second algebraic expression for said plurality of columns.
  - 67. The computer program product of claim 66 wherein said specification further organizes said plurality of panes into a plurality of layers;
    - and said specification further comprises a third algebraic expression for said plurality of layers.
  - 68. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein said plurality of panes comprises a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.
  - 69. The computer program product of claim 68 wherein each field in said plurality of fields has a plurality of levels, and wherein a first level from said plurality of levels is represented by a first component of said visual plot and wherein a second level from said plurality of levels is represented by a second component of said visual plot, wherein said first component and said second component are not the same as one another, and said first component and said second component may be from the same field or from different fields.
  - 70. The computer program product of claim 69 wherein said first component and said second component are each independently selected from the group consisting of:
    - one or more rows in said visual plot, one or more columns in said visual plot, one or more layers in said visual plot, an axis of said visual plot, a graphic in said visual plot, and a level of detail of a graphic in said visual plot.
  - 71. The computer program product of claim 70 wherein said first component is said plurality of rows and said second component is said plurality of columns.
  - 72. The computer program product of claim 70 wherein said first component is said plurality of rows and said second component is said plurality of layers.
  - 73. The computer program product of claim 70 wherein said first component is said plurality of columns and said second component is said plurality of layers.
  - 74. The computer program product of claim 69 wherein said first component of said visual plot is a first axis of said visual plot and said second component of said visual plot is a second axis of said visual plot.
  - 75. The computer program product of claim 69 wherein one of said first level and said second level represents a time period.
  - 76. The computer program product of claim 75 wherein said time period is any one of:
    - a year, a quarter, a month, a week, a day, an hour, a minute, or a second.
  - 77. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein said first type is selected from the group consisting of:
    - time, numerical, categorical, and geolocational.
  - 78. The computer program product of claim 77 wherein said first type is time.
  - 79. The computer program product of claim 77 wherein said first type is numerical, and said mark is shape.
  - 80. The computer program product of claim 77 wherein said first type is categorical, and said mark is text.
  - 81. The computer program product of claim 77 wherein said first type is geolocational.
  - 82. The computer program product of claim 77 wherein said first axis is an angular polar coordinate, and said mark is a segment of a pie chart.
  - 83. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein said mark is selected from the group consisting of:
    - text form, bar chart, pie chart, 3-dimensional bar-chart, 3-dimensional projection, hologram, Gantt plot, and scatterplot.
  - 84. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein each of said panes additionally has a second axis that corresponds to a second field from said plurality of fields and wherein said second field has a second type.
  - 85. The computer program product of claim 84 wherein said first axis and said second axis are orthogonal to one another.
  - 86. The computer program product of claim 85 wherein said first axis and said second axis are subjected to a transformation selected from the group consisting of:
    - rotation, reflection, inversion, and shear.
  - 87. The computer program product of claim 84 wherein said first axis and said second axis are disposed at an angle to one another wherein said angle is less than 180°
    - and is other than 90°
      
      .
  - 88. The computer program product of claim 84 wherein said first type and said second type, together, form a pane type, and wherein a rule is associated with said pane type.
  - 89. The computer program product of claim 84 wherein said assigning a pane type to each pane is according to said first type and a second type of said second field.
  - 90. The computer program product of claim 84 wherein said first type and said second type are independently selected from the group consisting of:
    - time, numerical, categorical, and geolocational.
  - 91. The computer program product of claim 90, wherein both of said first type and said second type are ordinal, and said mark is text.
  - 92. The computer program product of claim 90 wherein both of said first type and said second type are numerical, and said mark is a shape.
  - 93. The computer program product of claim 90 wherein one of said first type and said second type is ordinal, one of said first type and said second type is numerical, and said mark is a bar.
  - 94. The computer program product of claim 90 wherein one of said first type and said second type is ordinal, one of said first type and said second type is time, and said mark is Gantt.
  - 95. The computer program product of claim 90 wherein one of said first type and said second type is time, one of said first type and said second type is numerical, and said mark is a line.
  - 96. The computer program product of claim 90 wherein one of said first type and said second type is geolocational, and said mark is a map symbol.
  - 97. The computer program product of claim 84 wherein each of said panes additionally has a third axis that corresponds to a third field from said plurality of fields, and said mark is a 3-dimensional mark.
  - 98. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein one mark is assigned to each tuple in said plurality of tuples.
  - 99. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein a mark is formed from more than one tuple in said plurality of tuples.
  - 100. The computer program product of claim 99 wherein the mark is a polygon.

101. A computer system for forming a visual plot using a dataset having a plurality of fields, wherein the dataset contains data that comprises a plurality of tuples, the computer system comprising:
- a central processing unit;
  
  a memory, coupled to the central processing unit, the memory storing;
  
  said dataset;
  
  a programming module comprising;
  
  instructions for organizing the visual plot into a plurality of panes, wherein each of said panes has at least a first axis and wherein said first axis corresponds to a first field from said plurality of fields;
  
  instructions for assigning a pane type to each pane in said plurality of panes according to a first type of said first field;
  
  instructions for determining a mark for each pane based on said pane type; and
  
  instructions for populating said visual plot with said data.
- View Dependent Claims (102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150)
- - 102. The computer system of claim 101 wherein said dataset is a database.
  - 103. The computer system of claim 102 wherein the database is a relational database.
  - 104. The computer system of claim 102 wherein the database is a hierarchical database.
  - 105. The computer system of claim 102 wherein the database is an unstructured database.
  - 106. The computer system of any one of claims 101-105 additionally comprising:
    - querying the dataset to obtain retrieved data, and wherein the visual plot is populated with said retrieved data.
  - 107. The computer system of claim 106 wherein said retrieved data comprises a set of tuples.
  - 108. The computer system of claim 107 wherein said populating said visual plot comprises associating each tuple of said set of tuples with a pane in said plurality of panes.
  - 109. The computer system of claim 101 wherein organizing the visual plot is in accordance with a specification.
  - 110. The computer system of claim 109 wherein said populating the visual plot is in accordance with said specification.
  - 111. The computer system of claim 109 wherein said specification is expressed in a language based on a one or more fields from the plurality of fields.
  - 112. The computer system of claim 111 wherein said language comprises a set of rules and a number of operations.
  - 113. The computer system of claim 112 wherein said language uses a table algebra.
  - 114. The computer system of claim 109 wherein said specification comprises an algebraic expression that includes an operand.
  - 115. The computer system of claim 114, wherein the dataset is a hierarchical database, and said algebraic expression represents an operation on said hierarchical database.
  - 116. The computer system of claim 109 wherein said specification comprises a first algebraic expression for said plurality of rows and a second algebraic expression for said plurality of columns.
  - 117. The computer system of claim 116 wherein said specification further organizes said plurality of panes into a plurality of layers;
    - and said specification further comprises a third algebraic expression for said plurality of layers.
  - 118. The computer system of claim 101 wherein said plurality of panes comprises a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.
  - 119. The computer system of claim 118 wherein each field in said plurality of fields has a plurality of levels, and wherein a first level from said plurality of levels is represented by a first component of said visual plot and wherein a second level from said plurality of levels is represented by a second component of said visual plot, wherein said first component and said second component are not the same as one another, and said first component and said second component may be from the same field or from different fields.
  - 120. The computer system of claim 119 wherein said first component and said second component are each independently selected from the group consisting of:
    - one or more rows in said visual plot, one or more columns in said visual plot, one or more layers in said visual plot, an axis of said visual plot, a graphic in said visual plot, and a level of detail of a graphic in said visual plot.
  - 121. The computer system of claim 120 wherein said first component is said plurality of rows and said second component is said plurality of columns.
  - 122. The computer system of claim 120 wherein said first component is said plurality of rows and said second component is said plurality of layers.
  - 123. The computer system of claim 120 wherein said first component is said plurality of columns and said second component is said plurality of layers.
  - 124. The computer system of claim 119 wherein said first component of said visual plot is a first axis of said visual plot and said second component of said visual plot is a second axis of said visual plot.
  - 125. The computer system of claim 119 wherein one of said first level and said second level represents a time period.
  - 126. The computer system of claim 125 wherein said time period is any one of:
    - a year, a quarter, a month, a week, a day, an hour, a minute, or a second.
  - 127. The computer system of claim 101 wherein said first type is selected from the group consisting of:
    - time, numerical, categorical, and geolocational.
  - 128. The computer system of claim 127 wherein said first type is time.
  - 129. The computer system of claim 127 wherein said first type is numerical, and said mark is shape.
  - 130. The computer system of claim 127 wherein said first type is categorical, and said mark is text.
  - 131. The computer system of claim 127 wherein said first type is geolocational.
  - 132. The computer system of claim 127 wherein said first axis is an angular polar coordinate, and said mark is a segment of a pie chart.
  - 133. The computer system of claim 101 wherein said mark is selected from the group consisting of:
    - text form, bar chart, pie chart, 3-dimensional bar-chart, 3-dimensional projection, hologram, Gantt plot, and scatterplot.
  - 134. The computer system of claim 101 wherein each of said panes additionally has a second axis that corresponds to a second field from said plurality of fields and wherein said second field has a second type.
  - 135. The computer system of claim 134 wherein said first axis and said second axis are orthogonal to one another.
  - 136. The computer system of claim 135 wherein said first axis and said second axis are subjected to a transformation selected from the group consisting of:
    - rotation, reflection, inversion, and shear.
  - 137. The computer system of claim 134 wherein said first axis and said second axis are disposed at an angle to one another wherein said angle is less than 180°
    - and is other than 90°
      
      .
  - 138. The computer system of claim 134 wherein said first type and said second type, together, form a pane type, and wherein a rule is associated with said pane type.
  - 139. The computer system of claim 134 wherein said assigning a pane type to each pane is according to said first type and a second type of said second field.
  - 140. The computer system of claim 134 wherein said first type and said second type are independently selected from the group consisting of:
    - time, numerical, categorical, and geolocational.
  - 141. The computer system of claim 140, wherein both of said first type and said second type are ordinal, and said mark is text.
  - 142. The computer system of claim 140 wherein both of said first type and said second type are numerical, and said mark is a shape.
  - 143. The computer system of claim 140 wherein one of said first type and said second type is ordinal, one of said first type and said second type is numerical, and said mark is a bar.
  - 144. The computer system of claim 140 wherein one of said first type and said second type is ordinal, one of said first type and said second type is time, and said mark is Gantt.
  - 145. The computer system of claim 140 wherein one of said first type and said second type is time, one of said first type and said second type is numerical, and said mark is a line.
  - 146. The computer system of claim 140 wherein one of said first type and said second type is geolocational, and said mark is a map symbol.
  - 147. The computer system of claim 134 wherein each of said panes additionally has a third axis that corresponds to a third field from said plurality of fields, and said mark is a 3-dimensional mark.
  - 148. The computer system of claim 101 wherein one mark is assigned to each tuple in said plurality of tuples.
  - 149. The computer system of claim 101 wherein a mark is formed from more than one tuple in said plurality of tuples.
  - 150. The computer system of claim 149 wherein the mark is a polygon.

Specification

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Current Assignee
Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
Original Assignee
Tableau Software LLC (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
Inventors
Stolte, Chris, Hanrahan, Patrick

Granted Patent

US 7,800,613 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

1/1
CPC Class Codes

G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results

G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Computer systems and methods for visualizing data with generation of marks

First Claim

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Computer systems and methods for visualizing data with generation of marks

First Claim

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Abstract

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