Modifying a chart

• US 20070279417A1
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Garg, Anupam, Patterson, Eric W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,605,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

Modifying a chart may be provided. Chart elements are pictorially presented to a user for use by the user in modifying a generated standard chart. The chart elements may be presented to the user in a chart ribbon.

Claims

1. A method for formatting a chart, the method comprising:

receiving (310) a standard chart;

providing (315) a plurality of chart elements pictorially, wherein each of the plurality of chart elements represents a chart modification for use in changing the standard chart;

modifying (325) the standard chart with one or more of the plurality of chart elements; and

displaying (330) the modified chart.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving input for selecting chart elements.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising querying the standard chart to determine a current state of the chart.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising querying the modified chart to determine a current state of the chart.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the chart elements reside in a chart ribbon.

6. A system for modifying a chart, the system comprising:

a memory storage (204, 209, 210);

a processing unit (202) coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

receive (310) a standard chart;

provide (315) a plurality of chart elements pictorially;

receive (320) input for selecting chart elements;

modify (325) the standard chart based on the received input; and

display (330) the modified chart; and

a display device (112,114) for displaying the modified chart.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processing unit is associated with a server.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the processing unit is associated with a client-side device.

9. A computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions (219, 220) which when executed performs a method for modifying a chart, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving (310) a standard chart;

providing (315) a plurality of chart elements pictorially;

modifying (325) the standard chart based on a selection of one or more of the plurality of chart elements; and

displaying (330) the modified chart.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein after the modified chart is created, further modifying the modified chart using the plurality of chart elements.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 further comprising receiving input for selecting chart elements.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 further comprising querying the standard chart to determine the current state of the standard chart.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of chart elements reside in a chart ribbon.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the chart ribbon displays a gallery of chart elements upon selection of one or more chart gallery commands.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the gallery provides chart elements pictorially for chart modification.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the chart ribbon is user controlled.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 further comprising disabling the chart ribbon.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of chart elements pictorially displays a current state of the standard chart.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of chart elements pictorially displays a current state of the modified chart.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 further comprising providing art objects for modifying the standard chart.