Method and computer program for displaying quantitative data

• US 6,429,868 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IAC B.V.
• Original Assignee: IAC B.V.
• Inventors: Hewitt, Wayne, Dehner, Charles V. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus, Almis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CUNNINGHAM, GREGORY F
• Application Number:
  US09/616,124
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 345/113, 345/133, 345/150, 345/418, 345/419, 345/427, 345/440, 395/500.23
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A method and computer program for simultaneously displaying very large sets of quantitative data. The method and computer program permit the display of quantitative data without first standardizing the data. The method and computer program also permit an observer to display the data space under user controlled color mappings, to select color spectrums to emphasize or hide certain data or certain characteristics, and to move over and fly through the data space to identify and analyze areas of interest.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for simultaneously displaying a plurality of time series, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a virtual data space including a set of data and at least one display grid where time is an axis,

(b) creating a color spectrum made of a plurality of colors,

(c) mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select at least one subset of the data space to color map with an independent number-to-color mapping procedure, and

(d) displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, step (a) including the step of creating three dimensional effects from at least one two dimensional data grid.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, step (a) including the step of moving an observer position over and through the data space which can extend beyond a horizon of the screen display.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, step (b) including the step of specifying and controlling a background color and hiding a data cell in a data grid by setting a fill color for that cell to the background color.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, step (c) including the step of defining different areas in the data space to color map under different color process controls.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, step (c) including the step of selecting a window domain of a data set, which is less than the total data available, and color mapping that window of data independently.

4. A computer-implemented method for simultaneously displaying a plurality of time series, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a virtual data space including a set of data and at least one display grid where time is an axis,

(b) creating a color spectrum made of a plurality of colors,

(c) mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select subsets of the data space to color map independently, and

(d) displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor step (b) including the steps of;

(i) specifying a number of colors to make up an ordered color spectrum,

(ii) selecting at least three anchor colors for a palette from which to build the spectrum,

(iii) setting the anchor colors at certain locations within the color spectrum to generate a plurality of areas within the data spectrum, defined by the space between the anchor colors, and

(iv) generating spectrum colors as combinations of the anchor colors and allowing more colors to be defined in one area than another.

6. A computer-implemented method for simultaneously displaying a plurality of time series, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a virtual data space including a set of data and at least one display grid where time is an axis,

(b) creating a color spectrum made of a plurality of colors,

(c) mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select subsets of the data space to color map independently, and

(d) displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor

step (c) including the step of setting a functional form of the number to color mapping using an interactive tool which adjusts the functional form by defining piecewise components of the functional form where the piecewise components are polynomial functions.

8. A computer-implemented method for simultaneously displaying a plurality of time series, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a virtual data space including a set of data and at least one display grid where time is an axis,

(b) creating a color spectrum made of a plurality of colors,

(c) mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select subsets of the data space to color map independently, and

(d) displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor

step (c) including the step of selecting a direction along the data space in which to map each set of data in that direction independently.

10. A computer-implemented method for simultaneously displaying a plurality of time series, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a virtual data space including a set of data and at least one display grid where time is an axis,

(b) creating a color spectrum made of a plurality of colors,

(c) mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select subsets of the data space to color map independently, and

(d) displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor

step (c) including the step of recalculating the color mapping in a recursive method with the addition of new data values.

11. A computer program stored on a computer-readable memory device for directing a computer to operate as follows:

constructing a virtual data space by receiving a user-selected set of data and a user-selected grid form and then populating the grid form with the data;

creating a color spectrum based on a user selected plurality of colors;

mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select at least one subset of the data space to color map with an independent number-to-color mapping procedure, and

displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor coupled with the computer.

12. The computer program as set forth in claim 11, the constructing a data space step including the step of creating three dimensional effects from at least one two dimensional data grid.

13. The computer program as set forth in claim 11, the constructing a data space step including the step of moving an observer position over and through the data space which can extend beyond a horizon of the screen display.

15. The computer program as set forth in claim 11, the creating a color spectrum step including the step of specifying and controlling a background color and hiding a data cell in a data grid by setting a fill color for that cell to the background color.

17. The computer program as set forth in claim 11, the mapping the data step including the step of defining different areas in the data space to color map under different color process controls.

19. The computer program as set forth in claim 11, the mapping the data step including the step of selecting a window domain of a data set, which is less than the total data available, and color mapping that window of data independently.

14. A computer program stored on a computer-readable memory device for directing a computer to operate as follows:

constructing a virtual data space by receiving a user-selected set of data and a user-selected grid form and then populating the grid form with the data;

creating a color spectrum based on a user selected plurality of colors;

mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select subsets of the data space to color map independently, and

displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor coupled with the computer, the creating a color spectrum step including the steps of;

specifying a number of colors to make up an ordered color spectrum,

selecting at least three anchor colors for a palette from which to build the spectrum,

setting the anchor colors at certain locations within the color spectrum to generate a plurality of areas within the data spectrum, defined by the space between the anchor colors, and

generating spectrum colors as combinations of the anchor colors and allowing more colors to being defined in one area than another.

16. A computer program stored on a computer-readable memory device for directing a computer to operate as follows:

constructing a virtual data space by receiving a user-selected set of data and a user-selected grid form and then populating the grid form with the data;

creating a color spectrum based on a user selected plurality of colors;

mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select subsets of the data space to color map independently, and

displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor coupled with the computer, the mapping the data step including the step of setting a functional form of the number to color mapping using an interactive tool which adjusts the functional form by defining piecewise components of the functional form where the piecewise components are polynomial functions.

18. A computer program stored on a computer-readable memory device for directing a computer to operate as follows:

constructing a virtual data space by receiving a user-selected set of data and a user-selected grid form and then populating the grid form with the data;

creating a color spectrum based on a user selected plurality of colors;

mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select subsets of the data space to color map independently, and

displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor coupled with the computer, the mapping the data step including the step of selecting a direction along the data space in which to map each set of data in that direction independently.

20. A computer program stored on a computer-readable memory device for directing a computer to operate as follows:

constructing a virtual data space by receiving a user-selected set of data and a user-selected grid form and then populating the grid form with the data;

creating a color spectrum based on a user selected plurality of colors;

mapping the data in the data space to the colors in the color spectrum with a number-to-color mapping procedure which includes the ability to select subsets of the data space to color map independently, and

displaying the color-mapped data space on a monitor coupled with the computer, the mapping the data step including the step of recalculating the color mapping in a recursive method with the addition of new data values.