Apparatus for displaying multidimensional information

• US 5,408,596 A
• Filed: 12/19/1991
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nonaka, Hisanori, Kobayashi, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US07/810,128
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 395/119, 395/140, 395/127, 395/161, 364/148, 364/154, 364/188, 364/468, 364/402, 364/401, 364/578
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

In order to display the value of a multivariable function at at least one point around an arbitrary point which exists in a multidimensional space defined as a domain of the multivariable function, a display plane is divided into a plurality of regions, the plurality of regions are brought into correspondence with a plurality of quadrants which have the arbitrary point in the multidimensional space as a common vertex, respectively, and the value of the multivariable function at a point on the quadrant existent around the arbitrary point is displayed at the position of that point on the region which corresponds to the quadrantal point. The incremental or decremental situation of the values of the multivariable function around the arbitrary point in the multidimensional space can be visually expressed by a single plan view. The multidimensional information displaying method can be utilized for the verification of the result of an optimizing computation, and in turn, for example, for the optimum control of a system.

Claims

1. In a system whose throughput is determined depending upon projection rates of a plurality of resources, an optimal resource allocation system, comprising:

a means for expressing said throughput in terms of a multivariable function such that an output variable thereof corresponds to said throughput and has a value determined depending upon a plurality of input variables which correspond to said projection rates of said plurality of resources;

a multivariable function optimizing system which maximizes the value of said output variable of said multivariable function, comprising;

an input means for appointing coordinates of an arbitrary point in a multidimensional space which correspond to a domain defined by said input variables;

a storage device which stores a program for generating image data, a formula of said multivariable function, and the coordinates of said arbitrary point in said multidimensional space;

said program serving to display a varying situation of the value of said output variable of said multivariable function at a plurality of points around said arbitrary point existent in said multidimensional space, in such a way that a display plane is divided into a plurality of regions, that said plurality of regions are brought into correspondence with a plurality of quadrants which have said arbitrary point in said multidimensional space as a common vertex thereof, respectively, and that the value of said output variable at points on each of the quadrants existent around said arbitrary point are displayed at positions on the respective region on said display plane, said positions corresponding to the points on said each of the quadrants;

a central processing unit which executes said program to generate the image dam;

an image output device which displays a picture on a basis of the generated image data such that the varying situation of the value of said output variable of said multidimensional space centering about said arbitrary point is displayed; and

a means for interactively changing said arbitrary point while observing said picture changing on the display plane so as to find an optimal point on which the value of said output variable is maximum; and

a means for outputting that allocation of said resources which maximizes said throughput, on the basis of a result of the optimization.

2. An optimal resource allocation system according to claim 1, wherein said display plane is divided into said plurality of regions by a plurality of lines which stretch radially from a point on the display plane.

3. An optimal resource allocation system according to claim 1, wherein the display of the values of said output variable of said multivariable function is presented by displaying indices at positions on the display plane which correspond to points in the multidimensional space at which the values of said output variable are particular values separated at regular intervals.

4. An optimal resource allocation system according to claim 3, wherein each of said indices is an arrow which indicates a varying direction of the value of said output variable at that position on the display plane.

5. An optimal resource allocation system according to claim 1, wherein the display of the values of the output variable of said multivariable function is presented by changing a display color in accordance with a magnitude of said value of the output variable.

6. An optimal resource allocation system according to claim 1, wherein the correspondence between said regions and said quadrants is so established that the two regions which correspond respectively to the two quadrants sharing an identical axis in said multidimensional space adjoin each other.

7. An optimal resource allocation system according to claim 6, wherein the correspondence between said regions and said quadrants is established on the basis of an algorithm for obtaining an Eulerian closed path.

8. In a system in which a value of an output variable is determined depending upon values of a plurality of input variables relating to volumes of resources applied in the system, an optimal resource allocation system, comprising:

a means for expressing said output variable in terms of a multivariable function;

a multivariable function optimizing system which optimizes the value of said output variable of said multivariable function, including;

an input means for appointing coordinates of an arbitrary point in a multidimensional space which correspond to a domain defined by said input variables;

a storage device which stores a program for generating image data, a formula of said multivariable function, and the coordinates of said arbitrary point in said multidimensional space;

said program serving to display a varying situation of the value of said output variable of said multivariable function at a plurality of points around said arbitrary point existent in said multidimensional space, in such a way that a display plane is divided into a plurality of regions, that said plurality of regions are brought into correspondence with a plurality of quadrants which have said arbitrary point in said multidimensional space as a common vertex thereof, respectively, and that the value of said output variable at points on each of the quadrants existent around said arbitrary point are displayed at positions on the respective region on said display plane, said positions corresponding to the points on said each of the quadrants;

a central processing unit which executes said program to generate the image data;

an image output device which displays a picture on the basis of the generated image data such that the varying situation of the value of said output variable of said multidimensional space centering about said arbitrary point is displayed; and

a means for interactively changing said arbitrary point while observing said picture changing on the display plane, so as to find an optimal point on which the value of said output variable is optimized; and

a means for outputting that allocation of said resources which optimizes the value of said output variable, on the basis of a result of the optimization.

9. An optimal resource allocation system according to claim 8, wherein said optimization includes one of maximizing, minimizing and keeping at a specified value, the value of said output variable.