POPULATION ANALYSIS USING LINEAR DISPLAYS

• US 20060224548A1
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infotrend, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Infotrend, Inc.
• Inventors: Fan, Regis S., Fan, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/18 for evaluating statistical data , e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

The invention described herein includes a method of analyzing a population of individuals. The method includes entering the population of individuals into an information processing system. Each individual includes one or more properties. Each property includes one or more conditions and a numerical value. The method also includes displaying the population of the individuals in a visual map. The visual map is divided into parallel property zones of properties. The individuals are represented in the map as parallel lines wherein the lines are orthogonal to the property zones.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing a population of individuals comprising:

entering the population of individuals into an information processing system wherein each individual includes one or more properties wherein each property includes one or more conditions and a numerical value;

displaying the population of the individuals in a visual map wherein

the map is divided into parallel property zones of properties; and

wherein the individuals are represented in the map as parallel lines wherein the lines are orthogonal to the property zones.

2. The method of analyzing a population of individuals of claim 1, wherein the display of each parallel line includes a line segment corresponding to a property zone wherein a line segment includes a line sub-segment displayed in a presence color representing a numerical value of the property.

3. The method of analyzing a population of individuals of claim 1, further comprising using a line background color to display one or more portions of the line.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning the properties in the map in an ordered sequence.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a user specifies the ordered sequence.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising constructing a specification line of text to associate at least one keyword with an idea.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein an individual is a document including text.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein an individual is a patent, trademark, or court case.

7. A method of analyzing a population of individuals, comprising:

collecting data on individuals in a population wherein each individual possesses one or more properties wherein each property includes one or more of conditions of a value and a name;

specifying properties that each individual must have;

specifying an ordered linear sequence for the properties;

specifying an ordered linear sequence for the individuals; and

displaying the individuals in a visual map.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the map is divided into parallel property zones representing properties.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the individuals are represented in the map as parallel lines wherein the lines are orthogonal to the property zones.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising a line segment representing an individual.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the line segment corresponds to a property zone and includes a line sub-segment displayed in a presence color representing a numerical value of the property.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the line segment corresponds to a property zone and includes a line sub-segment displayed in a missing color.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising a use of a line background color to display a portion of the line not displayed in the presence color.

14. The method of claim 7 further comprising a use of a curser color to display a portion of the line not displayed in the presence color.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising a use of an output color to display a portion of the line not displayed in the presence color.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein the map includes the display of hint information providing information about the individual.

17. The method of claim 7 wherein spacing between the lines is non-uniform and adjusted dynamically by the user.

18. The method of claim 7, further comprising selecting a line on the map to display results of detailed information about the individual represented by the line.

19. The method of claim 7, further comprising constructing a specification line of text to associate at least one keyword with an idea.

22. A machine readable medium, with instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed, operable to generate a map display on a computer, the map display being divided into parallel property zones representing properties;

and parallel lines wherein the parallel lines are orthogonal to the property zones and wherein individuals are represented in the map as the parallel lines.

23. The machine readable medium of claim 22 wherein each of the parallel lines of the map display includes a line segment corresponding to a property zone wherein a line segment includes a line sub-segment displayed in a presence color representing a numerical value of the property.

24. A system for analyzing a population of individuals, comprising:

a monitor capable of electronically displaying a map, the map display being divided into parallel property zones representing properties; and

parallel lines wherein the parallel lines are orthogonal to the property zones and wherein individuals are represented in the map as the parallel lines; and

machine readable medium, with instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed, operable to generate the map display on the monitor.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein each of the parallel lines of the map display includes a line segment corresponding to a property zone wherein a line segment includes a line sub-segment displayed in a presence color representing a numerical value of the property.

26. A method for ordering a population of individuals comprising:

entering the population of individuals into an information processing system wherein each individual includes one or more properties wherein each property includes one or more conditions and a numerical value;

ordering the individuals and properties; and

displaying the population of the individuals in a visual map wherein

the map is divided into parallel property zones of properties; and

wherein the individuals are represented in the map as parallel lines wherein the lines are orthogonal to the property zones.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the ordering is unidimensional for both properties and individuals

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the ordering is a hierarchical sort.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the ordering is performed by solving the Traveling Salesman Problem