Method and system for creating visualizations

• US 7,714,876 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micro Focus LLC (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Islam, Mustazirul, Dayal, Umeshwar, Hao, Ming C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, CHANTE E
• Application Number:
  US11/076,700
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440, 345/440.2, 345/619, 715/700, 715/788
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

There is provided a method and an apparatus for creating visualizations. Specifically, there is provided a computer-implemented method for creating visualizations, the method comprising importing data, generating an interaction rule for the data, and creating a visualization using the data and the interaction rule. An apparatus for implementing the method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for creating visualizations, the method comprising:

importing, by a processor, data from a data stream at a time interval;

automatically generating, by the processor, an interaction rule for the data, wherein generating the interaction rule for the data comprises;

accessing stored user preferences that specify creation of a sequence of visualizations of the data;

determining how the data corresponds to the stored user preferences; and

generating the interaction rule based on the correspondence between the data and the stored user preferences;

creating, without user interaction by the processor, the visualizations and an order of display using the data and the interaction rule, wherein the interaction rule specifies the order of display of the visualizations; and

displaying the visualizations sequentially based on the order of display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a value of a sub-section of a given one of the visualizations when a pointer is pointed at the sub-section of the given visualization.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the visualizations using the data and the interaction rule comprises creating a first layer visualization and a second layer visualization, wherein the second layer visualization is a drilldown from the first layer visualization.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising incorporating the visualizations into a slideshow for display on a computer display.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the order of display comprises defining a sequence of multi-layered visualizations based on the data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the visualizations comprises creating visualizations selected from among a bar chart, an icon, a graphic, a pie chart, a pistol chart, or a line chart.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the visualizations comprises creating a hierarchical visualization.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein importing the data comprises importing the entire data stream.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises reporting data for a computer network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the visualizations comprises creating visualizations of financial market performance.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the interaction rule comprises generating a rule that specifies creating a visualization displaying two service providers.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the visualizations comprises displaying the visualizations in plural graphical user interface screens.

12. A computer system for providing a graphical representation of data, the computer system comprising:

a processor;

an interface configured to import data and automatically generate an interaction rule using the data by;

accessing stored user preferences that specify creation of a sequence of visualizations of the data;

determining how the data corresponds to the stored user preferences; and

generating the interaction rule based on the correspondence between the data and the stored user preferences; and

a visualization constructor configured to interact with the processor to create, without user interaction, the visualizations and an order of display using the data and the interaction rule, wherein the interaction rule specifies the order of display of the visualizations; and

a display configured to display the visualizations sequentially based on the order of display.

13. The computer system of claim 12, comprising an image compositor configured to create an image using at least one of the visualizations.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the visualization constructor is configured to create first layer visualization and a lower layer visualization.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the visualizations are incorporated into a slideshow to be presented in the display.

15. A tangible computer-readable medium encoded with instructions, where the instructions, when executed by a computer, effect creating a plurality of visualizations, the instructions comprising:

an interface program stored on the tangible computer-readable medium configured to import data from a data stream and automatically generate an interaction rule by;

accessing stored user preferences that specify creation of a sequence of the visualizations of the data;

determining how the data corresponds to the stored user preferences; and

generating the interaction rule based on the correspondence between the data and the stored user preferences;

a visualization constructor stored on the tangible computer-readable medium configured to simulate a window and to create the plurality of visualizations in the simulated window using the data stream and the interaction rule without user interaction, wherein the interaction rule specifies an order of display of the visualizations; and

a display program stored on the tangible computer-readable medium configured to display the plurality of visualizations based on the interaction rule.

16. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise an image compositor program stored on the tangible computer-readable medium-configured to create images using the visualization.

17. A method for displaying business process data, comprising:

importing, by a processor, business process data;

accessing, by the processor, a user preference regarding the display of the business process data, wherein the user preference specifies creation of a sequence of visualizations of the business process data;

automatically generating, by the processor, an interaction rule for the business process data based on the user preference and the business process data, wherein generating the interaction rule comprises;

determining how the business process data corresponds to the user preference;

generating the interaction rule based on the correspondence between the business process data and the user preference;

creating, without user interaction by the processor, the visualizations of the business process data and an order of display based on the interaction rule, wherein the interaction rule specifies the order of display of the visualizations; and

displaying the plurality of visualizations in the order of display.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein importing the business process data comprises importing network availability information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein generating the interaction rule comprises generating the interaction rule which specifies creating a visualization of a service provider with a highest volume of service requests.

20. A computer system for providing a graphical representation of data, the computer system comprising:

means for importing data from a data stream;

means for selecting a subset of the data;

means including a processor for automatically generating an interaction rule for the subset of data based on predefined preferences, wherein the predefined preferences specify creation of a sequence of visualizations of the imported data, and wherein generating the interaction rule is based on determining how the subset of data corresponds to the predefined preferences;

means including the processor for creating first layer visualization using the subset of data and the interaction rule;

means including the processor for creating a lower layer visualization using the subset of data and the interaction rule;

means for creating an order of display of the first and lower layer visualizations as specified by the interaction rule; and

means for displaying the first layer visualization and the lower layer visualization with a plurality of other visualizations based on the order of display without user interaction.

21. A method for creating visualizations comprising:

importing, by a processor, a data stream;

selecting, by the processor, data from the data stream;

accessing, by the processor, a list of stored user preferences that specify creation of a sequence of visualizations of the data;

determining, by the processor, how the selected data corresponds to the stored user preferences; and

automatically generating, by the processor, an interaction rule based on the correspondence between the data and the stored user preferences;

creating, by the processor, a first layer visualization based on the interaction rule using the selected data;

generating, by the processor, an order of display according to the interaction rule; and

displaying the first layer visualization with a plurality of other visualizations in the order of display without user interaction.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising creating a second layer visualization using the selected data, wherein the second layer visualization is a drilldown from the first layer visualization.