Information visualization icons

• US 5,796,398 A
• Filed: 03/08/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Zimmer, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): KATBAB, ABDOLLAH
• Application Number:
  US08/612,991
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 395/334, 395/348, 395/349, 395/356, 395/140, 395/968, 395/977, 345/339, 345/348, 345/349, 345/968
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for displaying graphical images, e.g., icons, on a computer monitor. The images can be different shapes, sizes, and have static or dynamic images, contain sound, video images, or launch computer software applications. The images are thematically coupled to convey a larger amount of information to the observer.

Claims

1. A method of conveying information on a computer having a memory and a monitor attached thereto, comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving information stored in a database into the memory of the computer;

(b) generating a storyboard in the memory of the computer, wherein the storyboard comprises a plurality of icons representative of the retrieved information from the database;

(c) generating a border around each of the icons in the memory of the computer that is thematically linked to a graphical content of the icon, wherein the border comprises a color, a width, and a style representative of information retrieved from the database;

(d) arranging the icons within the storyboard so that an icon is thematically linked to at least one other icon and at least one border using visual cues, wherein the visual cues are selected from a group comprising a relationship between the generated borders, a second relationship between the generated icons, and a third relationship between the generated borders and the generated icons; and

(e) displaying the storyboard on the monitor attached to the computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of altering the storyboard by changing the graphical content of at least one of the plurality of icons.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of altering the storyboard by changing at least one of the borders of the icons.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the icons each have different shapes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the icons each have different sizes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the icons each have different borders.

7. An apparatus for conveying information, comprising:

(a) a computer having a memory and a monitor attached thereto;

(b) means, performed by the computer, for retrieving information stored in a database into the memory of the computer;

(c) means, performed by the computer, for generating a storyboard in the memory of the computer, wherein the storyboard comprises a plurality of icons representative of the retrieved information from the database;

(d) means, performed by the computer, for generating a border around each of the icons in the memory of the computer that is thematically linked to a graphical content of the icon, wherein the border comprises a color, a width, and a style representative of information retrieved from the database;

(e) means, performed by the computer, for arranging the icons within the storyboard so that the icons are thematically linked using visual cues, wherein the visual cues are selected from a group comprising a relationship between the generated borders, a second relationship between the generated icons, and a third relationship between the generated borders and the generated icons; and

(f) means, performed by the computer, for displaying the storyboard on the monitor attached to the computer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising means for altering the storyboard by changing the graphical content of at least one of the plurality of icons.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising means for altering the storyboard by changing at least one of the borders of the icons.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the icons each have different shapes.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the icons each have different sizes.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the icons each have different borders.

13. A program storage medium readable by a computer having a memory, the medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for conveying information on a computer having a memory and a monitor attached thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving information stored in a database into the memory of the computer;

(b) generating a storyboard in the memory of the computer, wherein the storyboard comprises a plurality of icons representative of the retrieved information from the database;

(c) generating a border around each of the icons in the memory of the computer that is thematically linked to a graphical content of the icon, wherein the border comprises a color, a width, and a style representative of information retrieved from the database;

(d) arranging the icons within the storyboard so that the icons are thematically linked using visual cues, wherein the visual cues are selected from a group comprising a relationship between the generated borders, a second relationship between the generated icons, and a third relationship between the generated borders and the generated icons; and

(e) means, performed by the computer, for displaying the storyboard on the monitor attached to the computer.

14. The program storage medium of claim 13, further comprising the step of altering the storyboard by changing the graphical content of at least one of the plurality of icons.

15. The program storage medium of claim 13, further comprising the step of altering the storyboard by changing at least one of the borders of the icons.

16. The program storage medium of claim 13, wherein the icons each have different shapes.

17. The program storage medium of claim 13, wherein the icons each have different sizes.

18. The program storage medium of claim 13, wherein the icons each have different borders.