BULL'S-EYE MULTIDIMENSIONAL DATA VISUALIZATION

• US 20120151399A1
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Abeln, Christian, Soerensen, Stella Edith
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to presenting multiple data items with multiple attributes simultaneously. In an embodiment, a computer system accesses a plurality of data items, where each data item includes data item features and data item attributes for each feature. The computer system arranges the accessed data items in a customizable pattern that visually shows each data item'"'"'s features and associated attributes. The pattern includes slices that designate the data items'"'"' features and rings that designate the data items'"'"' attributes. The computer system also presents the arranged data items on a circular base that includes multiple slices and rings, so that each data item is displayed in an appropriate slice and ring, according to the data item'"'"'s corresponding features and attributes.

Claims

1. At a computer system including at least one processor and a memory, in a computer networking environment including a plurality of computing systems, a computer-implemented method for presenting multiple data items with multiple attributes simultaneously, the method comprising:

an act of accessing a plurality of data items, each data item including one or more data item features and one or more data item attributes for each feature;

an act of arranging the accessed data items visually as visual nodes in a customizable layout pattern that is controlled by selected features and associated attributes of each data item, wherein the pattern includes slices that designate the data items'"'"' features and rings that designate the data items'"'"' attributes; and

an act of presenting the arranged data items on a circular base comprising a plurality of slices and rings, such that each data item is displayed in an appropriate slice and ring, according to the data item'"'"'s corresponding features and attributes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein those data items displayed in a given slice share a common feature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein those data items displayed in a given ring share a common attribute.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein those data items displayed in both an identified slice and ring share both a common feature and a common attribute.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data items are represented in the presentation using pins that are inserted into the circular base.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the positioning of the data item and the depth of insertion for each pin indicates the corresponding data item'"'"'s development stage.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation of the data items is dynamically updateable, such that updates to the data items'"'"' features or attributes are automatically updated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the pins representing the data items are automatically moved to at least one of a different slice and a different ring.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising recording state changes for each data item over a specified period of time.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising playing back in the displayed presentation the state changes recorded over a specified period of time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein attributes and features may be set by dragging the data item'"'"'s representative pin to another slice or ring.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein different types of data items are represented by different types of pins.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation includes at least one of a plurality of sub-rings and a plurality of sub-slices, wherein the sub-rings and sub-slices identify other, different attributes and features.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the presentation includes a configurable drill-in and drill-out feature that shows specified rings, slices, sub-rings or sub-slices.

15. A computer program product for implementing a method for dynamically updating presentation data items, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, cause the computing system to perform the method, the method comprising:

an act of accessing a plurality of data items, each data item including one or more data item features and one or more data item attributes for each feature;

an act of arranging the accessed data items in a customizable pattern that visually shows each data item'"'"'s features and associated attributes, wherein the pattern includes slices that designate the data items'"'"' features and rings that designate the data items'"'"' attributes;

an act of presenting the arranged data items on a circular base comprising a plurality of slices and rings, such that each data item is displayed in an appropriate slice and ring, according to the data item'"'"'s corresponding features and attributes, wherein the presentation of the data items is dynamically updateable, such that updates to the data items'"'"' features or attributes are automatically updated;

an act of receiving user input indicating that one or more data items are to be updated; and

an act of dynamically updating the indicated data items according to the received user input.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the circular base includes a plurality of rings, wherein at least two of the rings have a different width.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the circular base comprises a plurality of slices, wherein at least two of the slices are of a different angle.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein center of the circular base comprises a goal toward which the pins are progressing over time.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein state changes for the data items are recorded and configured for playback in animation form.

20. A computer system comprising the following:

one or more processors;

system memory;

one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing system to perform a method for presenting multiple data items with multiple attributes simultaneously, the method comprising the following;

an act of accessing a plurality of data items, each data item including one or more data item features and one or more data item attributes for each feature;

an act of arranging the accessed data items in a customizable pattern that visually shows each data item'"'"'s features and associated attributes, wherein the pattern includes slices that designate the data items'"'"' features and rings that designate the data items'"'"' attributes; and

an act of presenting the arranged data items on a circular base comprising a plurality of slices and rings, such that each data item is displayed in an appropriate slice and ring, according to the data item'"'"'s corresponding features and attributes.