Method and system for producing a table image showing indirect data representations
First Claim
1. A method of operating a machine to present a graphical view of data in a tabular format;
- the machine including;
output circuitry connected to a display having a display area for presenting images;
a processor connected for providing images to the output circuitry; and
memory for storing data;
the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes;
the processor being further connected for accessing the data stored in the memory;
the method comprising;
operating the processor to obtain a plurality of source data items included in an n-dimensional (nD) data array stored in the memory;
respective ones of the plurality of source data items in a first dimension of the nD data array each being referred to as a case data item and each indicating a set of source data items in a second dimension of the nD data array;
each source data item included in the set of source data items in the second dimension being referred to as a variable data item and indicating variable information about the case data item;
the set of variable data items for each case data item being identically ordered with respect to the variable information provided about the case data item such that a first variable data item for a first case data item indicates first variable information about the first case data item and a first variable data item for a second case data item indicates first variable information about the second case data item;
each of the plurality of first variable data items indicated by respective ones of the case data items being referred to as a first column data item;
each source data item stored in the nD array having a source data value indicating a direct representation of information about the respective source data item;
operating the processor to determine a graphical display object for each respective first column data item;
each graphical display object representing an indirect graphical representation of the source data value indicated by the respective first column data item;
each graphical display object having display features in common with each other graphical display object representing a first column data item;
each graphical display object further having a display feature, referred to as a value display feature, representing the source data value of a respective first column data item;
a value display feature of a first graphical display object visually distinguishing the first graphical display object from a second graphical display object representing a respective first column data item having a different source data value;
operating the processor to produce image definition data defining an image, referred to as a table image, for presentation in the display area;
the table image defining a two-dimensional (2D) region in the display area for displaying the source data values of the plurality of source data items included in the nD array;
the table image including a plurality of cell regions arranged in a two-dimensional (2D) grid of horizontally-arranged cell regions referred to as rows and vertically-arranged cell regions referred to as columns;
a number of rows in the 2D grid being determined according to the respective case data items in the first dimension of the nD data array;
a number of columns in the 2D grid being determined according to a number of the variable data items included in each set of variable data items in the second dimension of the nD data array;
each cell region in the table image being paired with a respective source data item in the nD data array;
operating the processor to produce image definition data defining each graphical display object representing a respective one of the plurality of first column data items;
each graphical display object having size dimensions suitable for presentation in a respective one of the cell regions in a first column of the table image;
operating the processor to present the table image in the display area and to present the graphical display objects in respective ones of the cell regions in the first column of the table image;
the table image showing in the first column indirect representations of the source data values for respectively paired first column data items;
the graphical display objects shown in the first column being visually similar as a result of having display features in common with each other graphical display object;
the graphical display objects shown in the first column being visually distinguishable from one another as a result of each having a value display feature representing the source data value of the respective first column data item represented by the graphical display object.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for operating a processor-controlled system produces a table image including graphical display objects in each of the cell regions indirectly representing the data values in an underlying n-dimensional (nD) information data array. Request signal data is received from a input signal source to present the table image in the display area of a display device connected to the processor-controlled system. In response to the request signal data, for each cell in the table image, the source data value and data type of a source data item in the nD data array is obtained, and a cell presentation type is selected using the data type. A graphical display object having at least one display feature representative of the data type of the data value is produced from the cell presentation type, and image definition data defining table image and the graphical display object for each cell is provided to a system display device for display. The underlying data in the nD data array is thus graphically and indirectly represented in the table image, facilitating the visual inspection and identification of patterns and trends in the data. In addition, for very large conventional table images that do not fit in a standard sized display area, indirect representation of the data occupies substantially less space in the display area, permitting very large tables to be entirely represented graphically in one image. A sophisticated user interface permits a system user to perform table manipulation functions, such as reordering rows and column, sorting rows or columns, and deriving new rows or column, in order to further reveal data trends and patterns in the graphical representations.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of operating a machine to present a graphical view of data in a tabular format;
- the machine including;
output circuitry connected to a display having a display area for presenting images; a processor connected for providing images to the output circuitry; and memory for storing data;
the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes;the processor being further connected for accessing the data stored in the memory; the method comprising; operating the processor to obtain a plurality of source data items included in an n-dimensional (nD) data array stored in the memory;
respective ones of the plurality of source data items in a first dimension of the nD data array each being referred to as a case data item and each indicating a set of source data items in a second dimension of the nD data array;
each source data item included in the set of source data items in the second dimension being referred to as a variable data item and indicating variable information about the case data item;
the set of variable data items for each case data item being identically ordered with respect to the variable information provided about the case data item such that a first variable data item for a first case data item indicates first variable information about the first case data item and a first variable data item for a second case data item indicates first variable information about the second case data item;
each of the plurality of first variable data items indicated by respective ones of the case data items being referred to as a first column data item;
each source data item stored in the nD array having a source data value indicating a direct representation of information about the respective source data item;operating the processor to determine a graphical display object for each respective first column data item;
each graphical display object representing an indirect graphical representation of the source data value indicated by the respective first column data item;
each graphical display object having display features in common with each other graphical display object representing a first column data item;
each graphical display object further having a display feature, referred to as a value display feature, representing the source data value of a respective first column data item;
a value display feature of a first graphical display object visually distinguishing the first graphical display object from a second graphical display object representing a respective first column data item having a different source data value;operating the processor to produce image definition data defining an image, referred to as a table image, for presentation in the display area;
the table image defining a two-dimensional (2D) region in the display area for displaying the source data values of the plurality of source data items included in the nD array;
the table image including a plurality of cell regions arranged in a two-dimensional (2D) grid of horizontally-arranged cell regions referred to as rows and vertically-arranged cell regions referred to as columns;
a number of rows in the 2D grid being determined according to the respective case data items in the first dimension of the nD data array;
a number of columns in the 2D grid being determined according to a number of the variable data items included in each set of variable data items in the second dimension of the nD data array;
each cell region in the table image being paired with a respective source data item in the nD data array;operating the processor to produce image definition data defining each graphical display object representing a respective one of the plurality of first column data items;
each graphical display object having size dimensions suitable for presentation in a respective one of the cell regions in a first column of the table image;operating the processor to present the table image in the display area and to present the graphical display objects in respective ones of the cell regions in the first column of the table image;
the table image showing in the first column indirect representations of the source data values for respectively paired first column data items;
the graphical display objects shown in the first column being visually similar as a result of having display features in common with each other graphical display object;
the graphical display objects shown in the first column being visually distinguishable from one another as a result of each having a value display feature representing the source data value of the respective first column data item represented by the graphical display object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- the machine including;
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15. A method of operating a machine to present a graphical view of data in a tabular format;
- the machine including;
a user input device for receiving signals indicating actions of a machine user; output circuitry connected to a display having a display area for presenting images; a processor connected for receiving the signals from the user input device, and connected for providing images to the output circuitry; memory for storing data;
the data stored in the memory including;instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes; and an n-dimensional (nD) data array including a plurality of source data items each indicating a source data value; the processor being further connected for accessing the data stored in the memory; the method comprising; operating the processor to present a first table image in the display area;
the first table image defining a two-dimensional (2D) region in the display area for presenting the source data values indicated by source data items included in the nD array;
the first table image including a first plurality of cell regions arranged in a two-dimensional (2D) grid of horizontally-arranged cell regions referred to as rows and vertically-arranged cell regions referred to as columns;
a respective one of the first plurality or cell regions being paired with a respective one of the plurality of source data items included in the nD data array for presenting therein the source data value of the respective source data item;
each cell region paired with a respective source data item showing at least one character display feature indicating a direct representation of the source data value indicated by the source data item paired with the cell region;operating the processor to receive user signal data from the user input device indicating an image display request by the machine user to display a graphical view of the direct representations of the source data values shown in a first column of the first table image in the display area; and operating the processor to respond to the image display request from the machine user by presenting a second table image in the display area replacing the first table image;
the second table image including a second plurality of cell regions arranged in a two-dimensional (2D) grid of horizontally-arranged cell regions referred to as rows and vertically-arranged cell regions referred to as columns;
each of the second plurality of cell regions in a first column in the second table image being paired with a respective one of the first plurality of cell regions in the first column of the first table image;the first column in the second table image showing a graphical display object in each of the cell regions therein;
each graphical display object shown in a cell region in the first column of the second table image representing a mapping from the direct representation of the source data value shown in a paired cell region in the first column of cell regions in the first table image to an indirect graphical representation of the source data value;
each graphical display object having display features in common with each other graphical display object shown in the first column of the second table image;
the graphical display objects being visually similar, as a result of having display features in common with each other graphical display object shown in the first column;each graphical display object in the first column in the second table image having a display feature, referred to as a value display feature, representing the source data value that was directly shown in a respective paired cell region in the first column of the first table image;
a value display feature of a first graphical display object visually distinguishing the first graphical display object from a second graphical display object representing a different source data value. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- the machine including;
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24. An article of manufacture for use by a machine;
- the machine including input signal circuitry for receiving interaction signals from a user interaction device;
output circuitry connected to a display device for presenting images thereon;
storage medium access circuitry for accessing a medium that stores data; and
a processor connected for receiving the input interaction signals from the user interaction device, connected for providing image definition data defining images to the output circuitry for presenting the images on the display device, and connected for receiving data from the storage medium access circuitry;
the article comprising;a data storage medium that can be accessed by the storage medium access circuitry when the article is used by the machine; and data stored in the data storage medium so that the storage medium access circuitry can provide the stored data to the processor when the article is used by the machine;
the stored data comprising instruction data indicating instructions the processor can execute;the processor, in executing the instructions, obtaining a plurality of source data items included in an n-dimensional (nD) data array stored in the memory;
respective ones of the plurality of source data items in a first dimension of the nD data array each being referred to as case data items;
each case data item indicating a set of source data items in a second dimension of the nD data array;
each source data item included in the set of source data items in the second dimension being referred to as a variable data item and indicating variable information about the case data item;
the set of variable data items for each case data item being identically ordered with respect to the variable information provided about the case data item such that a first variable data item for a first case data item indicates first variable information about the first case data item and a first variable data item for a second case data item indicates first variable information about the second case data item;
each of the plurality of first variable data items indicated by respective ones of the case data items being referred to as a first column data item;
each source data item stored in the nD array having a source data value indicating a direct representation of information about the respective source data item;the processor, further in executing the instructions, determining a graphical display object for each respective first column data item;
each graphical display object representing an indirect graphical representation of the source data value indicated by the respective first column data item;
each graphical display object having display features in common with each other graphical display object representing a first column data item;
each graphical display object further having a display feature, referred to as a value display feature, representing the source data value of a respective first column data item;
a value display feature of a first graphical display object visually distinguishing the first graphical display object from a second graphical display object representing a respective first column data item having a different source data value;the processor, further in executing the instructions, producing image definition data defining an image, referred to as a table image, for presentation in the display area;
the table image defining a two-dimensional (2D) region in the display area for displaying the source data values of the plurality of source data items included in the nD array;
the table image including a plurality of cell regions arranged in a two-dimensional (2D) grid of horizontally-arranged cell regions referred to as rows and vertically-arranged cell regions referred to as columns;
a number of rows in the 2D grid being determined according to the respective case data items in the first dimension of the nD data array;
a number of columns in the 2D grid being determined according to a number of the variable data items included in each set of variable data items in the second dimension of the nD data array;
each cell region in the table image being paired with a respective source data item in the nD data array;the processor, still further in executing the instructions, producing image definition data defining each graphical display object representing a respective one of the plurality of first column data items;
each graphical display object having size dimensions suitable for presentation in a respective one of the cell regions in a first column of the table image;the processor, still further in executing the instructions, presenting the table image in the display area and presenting the graphical display objects in respective ones of the cell regions in the first column of the table image;
the table image showing in the first column indirect representations of the source data values for respectively paired first column data items;
the graphical display objects shown in the first column being visually similar as a result of having display features in common with each other graphical display object;
the graphical display objects shown in the first column being visually distinguishable from one another as a result of each having a value display feature representing the source data value of the respective first column data item represented by the graphical display object. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- the machine including input signal circuitry for receiving interaction signals from a user interaction device;
Specification