Method and apparatus for the graphical presentation of selected data

• US 6,704,016 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Oliver, Peter I., Tams, Jonathan G. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US09/566,828
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440.2, 345/440, 345/668, 345/667, 345/663, 345/736, 345/734, 345/737, 345/801, 345/800, 345/784, 345/781, 345/788, 345/771, 345/772, 345/970, 345/965
• US Class Current: 345/440.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A method graphically presents a selected group of data values of a series of data values in a predetermined presentation area. The largest data value within the selected group of data values is determined. A scaling factor for the determined largest data value to correspond with a lateral dimension of the presentation area is determined. The determined scaling factor is applied to all the data values in the group of data values. The scaled group of data values within the presentation area is graphically presented. Advantageously, the graphical presentation of the data values is scaled according to the data presented in the presentation area, thus maximizing the detail shown in the graphical representation. The method is preferably implemented in the form of a computer program.

Claims

1. A method for graphically presenting a selected set of data values of a series of data values, in a predetermined presentation area on a display screen, said presentation area graphically presenting an existing set of said data values scaled using an existing scaling factor, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of a new set of said data values by a user scrolling a scrollbar associated with the presentation area, and, in response thereto, determining a new largest data value within the selected new set of data values;

determining a new scaling factor for scaling the determined new largest data value to a lateral dimension of the presentation area;

applying the determined new scaling factor to all the data values in the selected new set of data values to provide a new scaled set of data values, and

graphically presenting the new scaled set of data values within the presentation area on the display screen.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each data value consists of one or more data sub values, wherein the step of applying comprises applying said determined new scaling factor to each sub value within each data value in the selected new set of data values to provide a plurality of scaled sub values within each scaled data value in the new scaled set of data values, and the step of presenting comprises graphically presenting the plurality of scaled sub values in presenting the new scaled set of data values.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the new selected set of data values is the group of data values selected for display in a window forming the presentation area on the display screen by said scrolling.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein each data value is presented as a stacked bar in a bar chart, wherein each sub value of a data value is represented as a segment of the corresponding stacked bar.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of determining a new scaling factor comprises the steps of:

determining the lateral dimension of the presentation area for display of the bar chart;

determining the new largest data value in the new selected set of data values, and calculating the new scaling factor by dividing the lateral dimension by the new largest data value.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein each bar in the bar chart is presented extending horizontally, and wherein the step of determining the lateral dimension uses the formula:

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of determining the new largest data value uses the formula:

$\max <br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}\left[\underset{j=1}{\overset{m_i}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>x_{\mathrm{ij}}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{for}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{the}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{selected}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{range}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{of}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{data}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{values}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>i\right]$

where $\underset{j=1}{\overset{m_i}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>x_{\mathrm{ij}}$

is the sum of all the data sub values x_ij for a particular data value i having m_i data sub values.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of determining new the scaling factor uses the formula:

$\frac{x_{\mathrm{ij}}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\left(w-\left(2<br><br>o\right)\right)}{\max <br><br>\left[\underset{j=1}{\overset{m_i}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>x_{\mathrm{ij}}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{for}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{the}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{selected}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{range}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{of}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{data}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{values}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>i\right]}.$

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

determining the new selected set of data values i as the values for i in the range;

$\left(<br><br>\frac{\left(\frac{p}{h}<br><br>\left(\left(n\times <br><br>s\right)-h\right)\right)}{s}<br><br>+1\right)\le <br><br>i\le <br><br>\left(<br><br>\frac{\left(\left(\frac{p}{h}<br><br>\left(\left(n\times <br><br>s\right)-h\right)\right)+h\right)}{s}<br><br>\right),$

where;

h is the height of the window

p is the position of the scroll bar as an offset from the top of the window

n is the number of data values to be displayed in the window

s is the height of each stacked bar, including associated blank area above and below the bar.

10. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of applying the new scaling factor comprises the step of:

multiplying each data sub value by the new scaling factor.

11. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the scaling is linear.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the new selected set of data values is the group of data values selected for display in a window forming the presentation area on the display screen by said scrolling.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each data value is presented as a bar in a bar chart.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step of determining a new scaling factor comprises the steps of:

determining the lateral dimension of the presentation area for display of the bar chart;

determining the new largest data value in the new selected set of data values, and calculating the new scaling factor by dividing the lateral dimension by the new largest data value.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of determining the new largest data value uses the formula:

$\max <br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}\left[\underset{j=1}{\overset{m_i}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>x_{\mathrm{ij}}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{for}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{the}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{selected}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{range}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{of}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{data}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{values}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>i\right]$

where $\underset{j=1}{\overset{m_i}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>x_{\mathrm{ij}}$

is the sum of all the data sub values x_ij for a particular data value i having m_i data sub values.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of determining the new scaling factor uses the formula:

$\frac{x_{\mathrm{ij}}<br><br>\left(w-\left(2<br><br>o\right)\right)}{\max <br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}\left[\underset{j=1}{\overset{m_i}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>x_{\mathrm{ij}}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{for}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{the}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{selected}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{range}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{of}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{data}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{values}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>i\right]}.$

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of:

determining the new selected set of data values i as the values for i in the range;

$\left(<br><br>\frac{\left(\frac{p}{h}<br><br>\left(\left(n\times <br><br>s\right)-h\right)\right)}{s}<br><br>+1\right)\le <br><br>i\le <br><br>\left(<br><br>\frac{\left(\left(\frac{p}{h}<br><br>\left(\left(n\times <br><br>s\right)-h\right)\right)+h\right)}{s}<br><br>\right),$

where;

h is the height of the window

p is the position of the scroll bar as an offset from the top of the window

n is the number of data values to be displayed in the window

s is the height of each stacked bar, including associated blank area above and below the bar.

18. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein each bar in the bar chart is presented extending horizontally, and wherein the step of determining the lateral dimension uses the formula:

19. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scaling is linear.

20. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the new set of data values has at least one value not belonging to the existing set of data values.

21. A computer readable medium carrying a computer program for use in graphically presenting a selected set of data values of a series of data values in a predetermined presentation area on a display screen, said presentation area graphically presenting an existing set of said data values scaled using an existing scaling factor, the program comprising:

a program step for receiving a selection of a new set of said data values in response to a user scrolling a scrollbar associated with the presentation area;

a program step for determining a new largest data value within the new selected set of data values;

a program step for determining a new scaling factor for scaling the determined new largest data value to a lateral dimension of the presentation area;

a program step for applying the determined new scaling factor to all the data values in the new selected set of data values to provide a new scaled set of data values, and a program step for graphically presenting the new scaled set of data values within the presentation area on the display screen.

22. A computer readable medium carrying a computer program as claimed in claim 21, wherein each data value consists of one or more data sub values, wherein:

the program step for applying the determined new scaling factor comprises a program step for applying said determined new scaling factor to each sub value within each data value in the set of data values to provide a plurality of scaled sub values within each scaled data value in the scaled set of data values, and

the program step for presenting comprises a program step for graphically presenting the plurality of scaled sub values in presenting the new scaled set of data values.

23. A computer readable medium carrying a computer program as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

the program step for determining a new scaling factor comprises a program step for;

determining the lateral dimension of the presentation area available for display of the graphical representation;

a program step for determining the new largest data value in the new selected set of data values, and a program step for calculating the new scaling factor by dividing the determined lateral dimension by the determined new largest data value.

24. A network management apparatus comprising

a network management station, wherein the network management station includes a processor, memory, a display screen and a user operated interface;

at least one network traffic monitor; and

a plurality of network devices;

wherein the processor is configured to receive data from said at least one traffic monitor, to process the data, and to graphically present a set of data values of a series of data values, in a predetermined presentation area on the display screen, according to an existing scaling factor;

wherein the processor is further configured to receive a selection of a new set of data values for presentation in said presentation area, in response to a user scrolling a scrollbar associated with the presentation area on the display screen using the user operated interface, and, in response thereto, to determine the new largest selected data value, and to determine a new scaling factor for scaling the determined new largest selected data value to a lateral dimension of the area of the display screen, the processor being further configured to apply the new scaling factor to all the new selected data values and to graphically present the resulting new scaled set of data values in the presentation area of the display screen.