System And Method for Thematically Arranging Clusters In A Visual Display

• US 20100039431A1
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuix North America Inc. (Nuix Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Vanderbilt Minerals, LLC
• Inventors: Evans, Lynne Marie
• Granted Patent: US 8,520,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/287 Visualization; Browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/358 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A system and method for thematically arranging clusters in a visual display is provided. Stored clusters each include one or more concepts. The concepts include terms having a common semantic meaning. Two or more of the clusters with shared concepts are identified. The two or more clusters are placed along a vector to form one or more cluster spines each represented by the shared concepts as a theme. One of the cluster spines is selected. At least one anchor point located on an open edge of one of the clusters along the selected cluster spine is identified. A further cluster spine that is thematically-related to the selected cluster spine is identified. The further cluster spine is grafted onto one of the at least one anchor points of the selected cluster spine. The grafted cluster spines are displayed.

Claims

1. A system for thematically arranging clusters in a visual display, comprising:

a database to store clusters, each comprising one or more concepts, wherein each concept comprises terms that have common semantic meaning;

a cluster placement module to identify two or more of the clusters with shared concepts and to place the two or more clusters along a vector to form one or more cluster spines each represented by the shared concepts as a theme;

an anchor point identification module to select one of the cluster spines and to identify at least one anchor point located on an open edge of one of the clusters along the selected cluster spine;

a spine placement module to identify a further cluster spine that is thematically-related to the selected cluster spine and to graft the further cluster spine onto one of the at least one anchor points of the selected cluster spine; and

a display to visually provide the grafted cluster spines.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the cluster placement module orders the two or more clusters along the vector based on cluster size, which is determined by the one or more concepts associated with each cluster.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the spine placement module grafts the further cluster spine at an angle along at least one of a forward-facing axis and a backward-facing axis.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the anchor point associated with one of the clusters is determined based on a location of that cluster and placement of adjacent clusters.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the selected cluster spine is selected first and placed in a center of a display space, and one or more of the further cluster spines are subsequently placed in relation to the selected cluster spine.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein the selected cluster spine is selected first and placed in a center of a display space, and one or more of the remaining cluster spines are subsequently placed in relation to the selected cluster spine.

6. A method for thematically arranging clusters in a visual display, comprising:

storing clusters, each comprising one or more concepts, wherein each concept comprises terms that have common semantic meaning;

identifying two or more of the clusters with shared concepts and placing the two or more clusters along a vector to form one or more cluster spines each represented by the shared concepts as a theme;

selecting one of the cluster spines and identifying at least one anchor point located on an open edge of one of the clusters along the selected cluster spine;

identifying a further cluster spine that is thematically-related to the selected cluster spine and grafting the further cluster spine onto one of the at least one anchor points of the selected cluster spine; and

displaying the grafted cluster spines.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

ordering the two or more clusters along the vector based on cluster size, which is determined by the one or more concepts associated with each cluster.

8. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

grafting the further cluster spine at an angle along at least one of a forward-facing axis and a backward-facing axis.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the anchor point associated with one of the clusters is determined based on a location of that cluster and placement of adjacent clusters.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein the selected cluster spine is selected first and placed in a center of a display space, and one or more of the further cluster spines are subsequently placed in relation to the selected cluster spine.

11. A system for placing thematically-related cluster groupings into a visual display, comprising:

a database to maintain clusters, each comprising one or more concepts, wherein each concept comprises terms that have common semantic meaning;

a spine generator to form cluster spines each comprising two or more of the clusters having a common theme and placed along a vector, wherein the theme comprises the concepts shared between the two or more clusters;

a spine grouper to group the cluster spines, comprising;

an anchor point identification module to select one of the cluster spines and to identify at least one anchor point located on an open edge of at least one of the clusters along the selected cluster spine; and

a spine placement module to identify at least one remaining cluster spine that is thematically-related to the selected cluster spine and to graft the remaining cluster spine onto one of the anchor points of the selected cluster spine; and

a display to visually provide the grouped cluster spines.

12. A system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a cluster placement module to place the two or more clusters along the vector based on cluster size, which is determined by the one or more concepts associated with each cluster.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the spine placement module grafts the remaining cluster spine at an angle along at least one of a forward-facing axis and a backward-facing axis.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one anchor point associated with one of the clusters is determined based on a location of that cluster and placement of adjacent clusters.

16. A method for placing thematically-related cluster groupings into a visual display, comprising:

maintaining clusters, each comprising one or more concepts, wherein each concept comprises terms that have common semantic meaning;

forming cluster spines each comprising two or more of the clusters having a common theme and placed along a vector, wherein the theme comprises the concepts shared between the two or more clusters;

grouping the cluster spines, comprising;

selecting one of the cluster spines and identifying at least one anchor point located on an open edge of at least one of the clusters along the selected cluster spine; and

identifying at least one remaining cluster spine that is thematically-related to the selected cluster spine and grafting the remaining cluster spine onto one of the anchor points of the selected cluster spine; and

displaying the grouped cluster spines.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

placing the two or more clusters along the vector based on cluster size, which is determined by the one or more concepts associated with each cluster.

18. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

grafting the remaining cluster spine at an angle along at least one of a forward-facing axis and a backward-facing axis.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein the anchor points associated with one of the clusters are determined based on a location of that cluster and placement of adjacent clusters.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein the selected cluster spine is selected first and placed in a center of a display space, and one or more of the remaining cluster spines are subsequently placed in relation to the selected cluster spine.