Authoring of Data Visualizations and Maps

• US 20130097544A1
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Parker, Charles W., Friend, Ned B., Kikin-Gil, Erez, Kotler, Matthew J., Ruble, B. Scott, Zaika, Igor
• Granted Patent: US 10,198,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/003 Maps

Abstract

A visualization of computer-enabled information in association with a computer-enabled map is provided. One or more data items may be imported onto a computer-generated mapping surface. A data visualization application may obtain location information, for example, physical address or latitude/longitude coordinates, for each data item. A map showing a geographical area large enough to contain each data item may be automatically generated and displayed, and each data item may be located on the map and may be identified by an identifying icon or label. Selection of an icon or label for any of the data items may cause display of information about the data item. The map display and visualization of the data items on the map display may be dynamically modified as one or more other data items are imported onto the visualization surface or as one or more existing data items are removed from the visualization surface.

Claims

1. A method of authoring data visualizations in association with a computer-generated map, comprising:

receiving one or more data items on a computer-generated mapping surface;

generating a first data visualization for the one or more data items;

determining a location for each of the one or more data items;

generating an electronic map on the mapping surface having a geographical area representation associated with the location of the one or more received data items;

locating a position on the electronic map corresponding to a location of each of the one or more received data items; and

displaying the electronic map on the mapping surface, displaying the first data visualization on the mapping surface, and displaying a graphical indication for each of the one or more data items at a position on the electronic map corresponding to the location of each of the one or more received data items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to generating a first data visualization for the one or more data items received on the computer-generated mapping surface, presenting one or more data visualization templates for generating a data visualization for the one or more data items.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a selection of one of the one or more data visualization templates;

and generating the first data visualization for the one or more data items using the selected data visualization template.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein presenting one or more data visualization templates for generating a data visualization for the one or more data items includes presenting one or more data visualization chart templates for generating a data visualization chart.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a filtering of the data visualization such that a change is made to one or more of the one or more data items associated with the data visualization;

and dynamically reflecting the change made to one or more of the one or more data items in any representation of any changed one or more of the one or more data items on the electronic map.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating and displaying a second data visualization for one or more additional data items on the electronic map;

linking the second data visualization to the first data visualization such that changes to any data items associated with either the first or second data visualizations are reflected in the other of the first or second data visualizations and are reflected in any representation of any changed one or more of the one or more data items on the electronic map.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a conditional formatting attribute to one or more of the one or more data items, such that the conditional formatting attribute is applied to the one or more of the one or more data items if a condition associated with the conditional formatting attribute is met.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an automatic update to one or the one or more data items;

and automatically updating the data visualization and any representation of any updated one or more of the one or more data items on the electronic map.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a location for each of the one or more data items includes determining an address for each of the one or more data items.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a location for each of the one or more data items includes determining latitude and longitude coordinates for each of the one or more received data items.

11. The method of claim 1, prior to determining a location for each of the one or more data items, further comprising passing the one or more data items to a data repository that contains location information for each of the one or more data items.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising retrieving a location for each of the one or more data items from the data repository.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more data items on the computer-generated mapping surface includes receiving the one or more data items by a dragging and dropping of the one or more data items onto the mapping surface.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more data items on the computer-generated mapping surface includes receiving the one or more data items by a downloading of the one or more data items from a data items repository to the mapping surface.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining information about each of the one or more data items and storing the obtained information in association with each of the one or more data items;

receiving a selection of the graphical indication displayed for a given data item; and

displaying on the visualization surface information obtained about the given data item.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying on the visualization surface information obtained about the given data item includes displaying the information obtained about the given data item in a computer-generated text box displayed on the mapping surface near a display of the selected graphical indication for the given data item.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering the one or more data items according to a prescribed filtering parameter such that one or more of the one or more data items are removed from the mapping surface;

automatically modifying the generated electronic map on the mapping surface such that a geographical area representation on the mapping surface is modified to include an area sufficient to display graphical indications for each of the one or more data items remaining on the mapping surface; and

automatically removing from the electronic map one or more graphical indications associated with any of the one or more data items removed from the mapping surface.

18. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of providing a visualization of data in association with a computer-generated map, comprising:

receiving one or more data items on a computer-generated visualization surface;

determining a location for each of the one or more data items;

generating an electronic map on the visualization surface having a geographical area representation associated with the location of the one or more received data items;

locating a position on the electronic map corresponding to a location of each of the one or more received data items;

displaying the electronic map on the visualization surface and displaying a graphical indication for each of the one or more data items at the position on the electronic map corresponding to the location of each of the one or more received data items;

obtaining information about each of the one or more data items and storing the obtained information in association with each of the one or more data items; and

displaying on the visualization surface information obtained about the one or more data items adjacent to each corresponding graphical indication for each of the one or more data items.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising generating a first data visualization for the one or more data items;

and displaying the first data visualization on the visualization surface.

20. A system for providing a visualization of data in association with a computer-generated map, comprising:

a data visualization application coupled with a computing device, the data visualization application operative to;

receive one or more data items on a computer-generated visualization surface;

determine a location for each of the one or more data items;

generate an electronic map on the visualization surface having a geographical area representation associated with the location of the one or more received data items;

locate a position on the electronic map corresponding to a location of each of the one or more received data items;

display the electronic map on the visualization surface and displaying a graphical indication for each of the one or more data items at the position on the electronic map corresponding to the location of each of the one or more received data items;

filter the one or more data items according to a prescribed filtering parameter such that one or more of the one or more data items are removed from the visualization surface;

automatically modify the generated electronic map on the visualization surface such that the geographical area representation is modified to include an area sufficient to display graphical indications for each of the one or more data items remaining on the visualization surface; and

automatically remove from the electronic map one or more graphical indications associated with any of the one or more data items removed from the visualization surface.