Selecting the Type of Visual Marks in Data Visualizations Based on User-Selected Visual Properties of the Marks

• US 20150007074A1
• Filed: 09/15/2014
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stolte, Christopher Richard, Mackinlay, Jock Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 9,933,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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: G06T 17/05 Geographic models

Abstract

A method displays a graphical user interface for a data visualization application. The user interface includes shelves for specifying data visualization characteristics for a dataset. The method selects a map view based on geographic location field name(s) placed onto the shelves, and displays a geographic map. A user selects a visual encoding by placing a first field name onto a first shelf, which specifies a visual property of displayed marks. The property for each mark is determined by values of the first field in records of the result set. A mark displays for each record in the result set. When the first shelf specifies color of marks, each displayed mark fills the respective geographic region with a color based on the value of the first field. When the first shelf specifies size of marks, point marks are displayed with a respective size corresponding to the value of the first field.

Claims

1. A method of selecting types of marks to use in data visualizations, comprising:

at a computing device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

displaying a graphical user interface, wherein the user interface allows a user to specify visual characteristics of a data visualization corresponding to a user-selected dataset;

selecting a map view data visualization type according to user selection of one or more geographic location fields from a result set retrieved from the dataset;

displaying a geographic map with predefined geographic regions corresponding to respective geographic locations specified in the result set;

receiving a first user selection of a first visual encoding that specifies a visual property of marks to be displayed, wherein the visual encoding includes a first field in the result set; and

displaying a respective mark on the geographic map for each respective record in the result set, wherein;

when the first visual encoding specifies color or pattern of the marks, each displayed mark comprises filling the respective geographic region with a respective color or pattern corresponding to a respective value of the first field in the respective record in the result set; and

when the first visual encoding specifies size or shape of the marks, each displayed mark comprises a point mark displayed at a respective location within the respective geographic region and displayed with a respective size or shape corresponding to the respective value of the first field in the respective record in the result set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first visual encoding specifies size of the marks and each displayed mark comprises a point mark, the method further comprising:

receiving a second user selection of a second visual encoding that specifies color of the marks, replacing the first user selection; and

in response to the second user selection, removing the point marks from display and displaying each respective mark by filling a respective geographic region with a color corresponding to the respective value of the first field in the respective record in the result set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the values of the first field in the result set are computed by aggregating values of a second field in the dataset.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the aggregated values are computed using a formula selected from the group consisting of:

summing values from the second field in the dataset, computing the average of the values from the second field in the dataset, computing the maximum of the values of the second field in the dataset, and computing the minimum of the values of the second field in the dataset.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the aggregation is based on one or more geographic fields from the dataset placed onto a shelf in the user interface, wherein the shelf specifies level of detail for the data visualization.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user specifies a map view data visualization type by placing fields corresponding to longitude and latitude onto shelves in the user interface, wherein the shelves specify x-position and y-position of the marks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user specifies a map view data visualization type by placing a geographic field onto a shelf in the user interface, wherein the shelf specifies level of detail for the data visualization.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein in response to user placement of a geographic field onto the shelf, fields corresponding to longitude and latitude are placed onto shelves that specify x-position and y-position of the marks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of shelves for the user to specify the visual characteristics of the data visualization, and wherein the user specifies the characteristics by placing field names associated with the dataset onto at least some of the shelves.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selects a visual encoding by placing a second field name onto a second shelf in the graphical user interface, wherein the second field name corresponds to a second field in the result set, and wherein the visual property for each respective mark is determined by a respective value of the second field in a respective record of the result set.

11. A computer system for selecting types of marks used in data visualizations, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

displaying a graphical user interface, wherein the user interface allows a user to specify visual characteristics of a data visualization corresponding to a user-selected dataset;

selecting a map view data visualization type according to user selection of one or more geographic location fields from a result set retrieved from the dataset;

displaying a geographic map with predefined geographic regions corresponding to respective geographic locations specified in the result set;

receiving a first user selection of a first visual encoding that specifies a visual property of marks to be displayed, wherein the visual encoding includes a first field in the result set; and

displaying a respective mark on the geographic map for each respective record in the result set, wherein;

when the first visual encoding specifies color or pattern of the marks, each displayed mark comprises filling the respective geographic region with a respective color or pattern corresponding to a respective value of the first field in the respective record in the result set; and

when the first visual encoding specifies size or shape of the marks, each displayed mark comprises a point mark displayed at a respective location within the respective geographic region and displayed with a respective size or shape corresponding to the respective value of the first field in the respective record in the result set.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the first visual encoding specifies size of the marks and each displayed mark comprises a point mark, the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:

receiving a second user selection of a second visual encoding that specifies color of the marks, replacing the first user selection; and

in response to the second user selection, removing the point marks from display and displaying each respective mark by filling a respective geographic region with a color corresponding to the respective value of the first field in the respective record in the result set.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the values of the first field in the result set are computed by aggregating values of a second field in the dataset, wherein the aggregation is based on one or more geographic fields from the dataset placed onto a shelf in the user interface, and wherein the shelf specifies level of detail for the data visualization.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the user specifies a map view data visualization type by placing fields corresponding to longitude and latitude onto shelves in the user interface, wherein the shelves specify x-position and y-position of the marks.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the user specifies a map view data visualization type by placing a geographic field onto a shelf in the user interface, wherein the shelf specifies level of detail for the data visualization.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of shelves for the user to specify the visual characteristics of the data visualization, and wherein the user specifies the characteristics by placing field names associated with the dataset onto at least some of the shelves.

17. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the user selects a visual encoding by placing a second field name onto a second shelf in the graphical user interface, wherein the second field name corresponds to a second field in the result set, and wherein the visual property for each respective mark is determined by a respective value of the second field in a respective record of the result set.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer system that includes one or more processors and memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

displaying a graphical user interface, wherein the user interface allows a user to specify visual characteristics of a data visualization corresponding to a user-selected dataset;

selecting a map view data visualization type according to user specification of one or more geographic location fields in a result set retrieved from the dataset;

displaying a geographic map with predefined geographic regions corresponding to respective geographic locations specified in the result set;

receiving a first user selection of a first visual encoding that specifies a visual property of marks to be displayed, wherein the visual encoding includes a first field in the result set; and

displaying a respective mark on the geographic map for each respective record in the result set, wherein;

when the first visual encoding specifies color or pattern of the marks, each displayed mark comprises filling the respective geographic region with a respective color or pattern corresponding to a respective value of the first field in the respective record in the result set; and

when the first visual encoding specifies size or shape of the marks, each displayed mark comprises a point mark displayed at a respective location within the respective geographic region and displayed with a respective size or shape corresponding to the respective value of the first field in the respective record in the result set.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first visual encoding specifies size of the marks and each displayed mark comprises a point mark, the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:

receiving a second user selection of a second visual encoding that specifies color of the marks, replacing the first user selection; and

in response to the second user selection, removing the point marks from display and displaying each respective mark by filling a respective geographic region with a color corresponding to the respective value of the first field in the respective record in the result set.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the values of the first field in the result set are computed by aggregating values of a second field in the dataset, wherein the aggregation is based on one or more geographic fields from the dataset placed onto a shelf in the user interface, and wherein the shelf specifies level of detail for the data visualization.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the user specifies a map view data visualization type by placing fields corresponding to longitude and latitude onto shelves in the user interface, wherein the shelves specify x-position and y-position of the marks.