Graphical Representation of Tabular Data

• US 20090100370A1
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: VanOrman, Ransom, Wang, Jun, James, David, Liu, Jeff, Tariq, Sobia, Martone, Peter Francis
• Granted Patent: US 8,984,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/777
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

An enterprise management system may present data in a user interface that contains tabular data and a graphical representation of the tabular data. The graphical representation may change based on portions of the tabular data that may be selected, and may show a graphical data summary if no rows are selected, or detailed graphical illustrations of the selected rows. In some cases, filters may be applied to the data, and a selection tool may enable a user to select from several different parameters in each row.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting a group of records to be displayed from a database, each of group of records having at least one data parameter;

displaying said group of records in a list view in a first part of a user interface;

when none of said records are selected, displaying a summary graphical representation of said group of records in a second part of said user interface; and

when one or more of said records are selected, displaying a graphical representation of said one or more of said records.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

filtering said group of records into a subset of said records.

3. The method of claim 1, each of said group of records comprising a plurality of data parameters.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

selecting at least one data parameter to display in said graphical representation.

5. The method of claim 4, said graphical representation comprising a selection mechanism to select between said plurality of data parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, said graphical representation comprising separate representations for each of said records that are selected.

7. The method of claim 1, said graphical representation comprising an aggregated representation of said one or more records.

8. The method of claim 1, said list view comprising said at least one data parameter.

9. The method of claim 1, said list view not comprising said at least one data parameter.

10. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 1.

11. A system comprising:

a enterprise management system adapted to determine status information from a plurality of devices and store said status information in records in a database;

a user interface for said enterprise management system adapted to;

select a group of said records to be displayed from said database, each of group of records having at least one data parameter;

display said group of records in a list view in a first part of a user interface;

when none of said records are selected, display a summary graphical representation of said group of records in a second part of said user interface; and

when one or more of said records are selected, display a graphical representation of said one or more of said records.

12. The system of claim 11, said user interface being further adapted to:

filter said group of records into a subset of said records.

13. The system of claim 11, each of said group of records comprising a plurality of data parameters.

14. The system of claim 13, said user interface being further adapted to:

select at least one data parameter to display in said graphical representation.

15. The system of claim 14, said user interface comprising a selection mechanism to select between said plurality of data parameters.

16. The system of claim 11, said graphical representation comprising separate representations for each of said records that are selected.

17. The system of claim 11, said graphical representation comprising an aggregated representation of said one or more records.

18. The system of claim 11, said list view comprising said at least one data parameter.

19. A method comprising:

receiving messages from a plurality of monitored devices, each of said messages comprising a device status;

creating data records from said messages;

storing said data records in a database;

selecting a group of said data records to be displayed from a database, each of group of data records having at least one data parameter;

displaying said group of data records in a list view in a first part of a user interface;

when none of said data records are selected, displaying a summary graphical representation of said group of data records in a second part of said user interface; and

when one or more of said data records are selected, displaying a graphical representation of said one or more of said data records.

20. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 19.