Systems and methods for displaying and querying heterogeneous sets of data

• US 7,593,013 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Moon, Shaun, Bermudez, Julio, Livnat, Yarden, Morahan, Thomas, Foresti, Stefano, Agutter, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Caschera; Antonio A
• Application Number:
  US11/373,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data

Abstract

A visualization system for heterogeneous data sets comprises: a unique visualization interface created by a visualization engine. The visualization interface comprises a first area defining a center of attention, second area defining a parameter space and a plurality of correlation elements. The first area is a two-dimensional space for the display of items of interest. The second area provides a space in which parameters associated with the items of interest can be displayed. The correlation elements indicate relationships and their strength between items of interest and parameters in the second area. The visualization engine preferably comprises an input module, a control module, a retrieving module, a rendering module, and an analysis module. These components are coupled together to receive input from a user, retrieve data from a data source, and present the unique visualization interface to the user.

Claims

1. A system for generating a visualization interface comprises:

a processor,

a retrieving module executed by the processor having inputs and outputs, configured to retrieve data used to generate the visualization interface, the input of the retrieving module configured to receive data from a data source,

an analysis module executed by the processor having an input and an output, configured to generate an object, a parameter, a correlation element and a correlation value from received data, where the correlation value is determined by a weighted function, and the correlation value determines a visual attribute for display of the correlation element, the input of the analysis module coupled to the output of the receiving module; and

a rendering module executed by the processor having an input and an output, configured to generate the visualization interface including a first area, a second area, the object, the parameter and the correlation element, wherein the second area is positioned about the periphery of the first area to make the first area a center of attention, the display of the generated object is augmented responsive to an increase in the correlation between the object and the parameter, and the input of the rendering module is coupled to the output of the analysis module.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a control module having inputs and outputs, configured to control the operation the visualization system, the control module coupled to and controlling the retrieving module, the analysis module and the rendering module.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising an input module having an input and an output, configured to receive and translate input commands from the user into signals usable by the control module, the input of the control module configured to receive input from the user, the output of the input module coupled to the control module.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the data source is a database table, a database, database server or any numbered collection of data.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the retrieving module is coupled to a plurality of data sources.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising an alert module having an input and an output, configured to regenerate the visualization interface in response to an alert signal, the input of the alert module configured to receive the alert signal, the output of the alert module coupled to the retrieving module.