Method of visualizing data

• US 6,756,983 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Borosh, Joseph T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASCHERA, ANTONIO A
• Application Number:
  US09/885,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440, 345/949, 345/970, 345/970.1, 434/81, 434/107, 434/430, 705/8-11, 705/7, 705/1
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

A method of visualizing data including displaying wheels, which represent functional units of a system, wherein each wheel is subdivided into segments collectively representing a process within the functional unit, identifying at least one communications pathway, connecting a hub of each of the wheels to the communications pathway, rotating the wheels around the communication pathway, periodically noting rotational positions of the plurality of wheels, and correlating the rotational positions with the timing of information that is transmitted via the communications pathway as the information passes one or more of the wheels.

Claims

1. A method of visualizing data, comprising the steps of:

(a) designating a plurality of wheels each representing a functional unit of a system, wherein each wheel is subdivided into segments collectively representing a process within the functional unit of the system;

(b) identifying at least one communications pathway;

(c) connecting a hub of each of the wheels through the communications pathway;

(d) rotating the wheels around the communication pathway;

(e) periodically noting rotational positions of the plurality of wheels; and

(f) correlating the rotational positions with timing of information that is transmitted via the communications pathway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is a business.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is an aggregate of functional units.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional unit is a division or department of a business.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications pathway is at least one of an access/distribution interface, an internet world wide web enablement system, a network application, content, a work flow process, messaging, platform and enablers, managed network solutions and network infrastructure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wheels rotate in the same direction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wheels rotate in different directions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of correlating comprises the step of synchronizing.

9. A method of visualizing activity within a system, comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring a communications pathway for data indicative of an event;

(b) providing a graphical displayed wheel, the wheel representing a functional unit of the system and being subdivided into segments collectively representing a process within the functional unit of the system;

(c) rotating the wheel around the communications pathway at a speed consistent with a speed at which the process within the functional unit is occurring, wherein the communications pathway is arranged to pass through a hub of the wheel; and

(d) determining the rotational position of the wheel at a time of the event.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the system is a business.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the system is an aggregate of functional units.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the functional unit is a division or department of a business.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the communications pathway is at least one of an access/distribution interface, an internet world wide web enablement system, a network application, content, a work flow process, messaging, platform and enablers, managed network solutions and network infrastructure.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the wheel rotates in a direction dictated by the process.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a plurality of graphically displayed wheels.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least two of the wheels rotate in different directions.

17. A method of predicting using a visual model, comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring a communications pathway for data indicative of events;

(b) recording the state of internal processes, respectively associated with functional units of a system, at the time of the events;

(c) storing a plurality of events and corresponding states;

(d) providing a plurality of graphically displayed wheels, each wheel representing one of the functional units of the system and each wheel being subdivided into segments collectively representing the internal process within the functional unit of the system, wherein the state of a wheel is determined by its rotational position;

(e) monitoring the communications pathway in real time;

(f)matching real time patterns of events and system states with stored events and corresponding states; and

(g) rotating the wheels to positions corresponding to a previously stored event and corresponding state, wherein the communications pathway passes through respective hubs of the wheels.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the system is a business.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the system is an aggregate of functional units.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the functional unit is a division or department of a business.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the communications pathway is at least one of an access/distribution interface, an internet world wide web enablement system, a network application, content, a work flow process, messaging, platform and enablers, managed network solutions and network infrastructure.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the wheels rotate in a direction dictated by the processes.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein at least two of the wheels rotate in different directions.

24. A graphical user interface, comprising:

an elongated core subdivided, in cross-section, into a plurality of sectors, each sector representing a communications pathway;

a first wheel having a hub having a size such that the first wheel is rotatively coupled to the elongated core, the first wheel being representative of a first functional unit of a system and the first wheel being subdivided into segments collectively representing a process within the first functional unit of the system; and

a second wheel having a hub having a size such that the second wheel is rotatively coupled to the elongated core, the second wheel being representative of a second functional unit of the system and the second wheel being subdivided into segments collectively representing a process within the second functional unit of the system,

wherein the first and second wheels are rotated around the elongated core to simulate performance of the first and second processes, respectively.

25. The graphical user interface of claim 24, wherein the system is a business.

26. The graphical user interface of claim 24, wherein the system is an aggregate of the first and second functional units.

27. The graphical user interface of claim 24, wherein the first and second functional units are divisions or departments of a business.

28. The graphical user interface of claim 24, wherein each communications pathway is at least one of an access/distribution interface, an internet world wide web enablement system, a network application, content, a work flow process, messaging, platform and enablers, managed network solutions and network infrastructure.

29. The graphical user interface of claim 24, wherein the first and second wheels rotate in the same direction.

30. The graphical user interface of claim 24, wherein the first and second wheels rotate in different directions.