Visualization of decision logic

• US 8,312,389 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fair Isaac Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fair Isaac Corporation
• Inventors: Crawford, Stuart L., Chhaparwal, Gaurav, Doshi, Navin, Tolmanov, Sergei, Steele, Michael, Thorsen, Megan, Rao Kolipaka, Kashyap Babu
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHURI, ANITA
• Application Number:
  US12/201,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20090064053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/763, 715/764, 715/765, 715/766, 715/767, 715/768, 715/853, 715/854, 715/855, 715/969
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

Techniques for visualization of decision logic are provided. In one aspect, the techniques can be implemented by providing a control within a graphical user interface to a user. The control can display a plurality of graphical user interface elements corresponding to linked nodes within a hierarchical structure. An input identifying a selected graphical user interface element within the control can be generated by a user. A selected node within the hierarchical structure can be identified based on the selected graphical user interface element. In response to a request from a user, modifying an appearance of a subset of the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure based on a desired visualization criteria, the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure and the selected node.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for implementation by one or more data processors comprising:

providing, by at least one data processor, a control within a graphical user interface to a user, the control comprising a plurality of graphical user interface elements corresponding to linked and unleveled nodes within a hierarchical structure, the hierarchical structure comprising at least one root node on a first end and at least one action node on a second end;

receiving, by at least one data processor, a user-generated input identifying a selected graphical user interface element within the control;

identifying, by at least one data processor, a selected node within the hierarchical structure corresponding to the selected graphical user interface element;

receiving, by at least one data processor, a user-generated request for modifying an appearance of a subset of the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure based on desired visualization criteria, the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure and the selected node, wherein nodes of the hierarchical structure are leveled; and

,

modifying at least one data processor, an appearance of one or more graphical user interface elements corresponding to the received request while continuing to display all of the plurality of graphical user interface elements.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the desired visualization criteria comprise relation criteria and selection criteria.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the relation criteria comprise at least one of the parents, children, ancestors, descendants and siblings.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure corresponds to a condition variable and the relation criteria corresponds to the condition variable.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the selection criteria comprise at least one of the color, fading and visibility.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the selection criteria is based on data from a data set.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein each level of the hierarchical structure is displayed by the control using alternating background colors.

38. A method as in claim 1, wherein the hierarchical structure represents a population divided into at least one subset, at least one population subset is assigned an action, and an action graph is generated for each action represented by the hierarchical structure.

8. A computer implemented method for implementation by one or more data processors comprising:

providing, by at least one data processor, a control within a graphical user interface to a user, the control comprising a plurality of graphical user interface elements corresponding to linked and unleveled nodes within a hierarchical structure, the hierarchical structure comprising at least one root node on a first end and at least one action node on a second end;

receiving, by at least one data processor, a user-generated input identifying a selected graphical user interface element within the control, such that the selected graphical user interface element corresponds to a selected action node;

receiving, by at least one data processor, a user-generated input corresponding to a request for generation of an action graph based on the selected action node and a desired visualization criteria;

generating, by at least one data processor, the action graph based on the selected action node, the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure and the desired visualization criteria, wherein nodes of the action graph are leveled; and

,

displaying, by at least one data processor, the action graph to the user.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the desired visualization criteria comprises:

replacing the root node with a first line;

connecting all nodes previously directly connected to the root node to the first line;

replacing the currently selected node with a second line; and

connecting all nodes previously directly connected to the currently selected node to the second line.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein each level of the action graph is displayed by the control using alternating background colors.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the action graph is optimized.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein the optimization is performed by modifying an order of levels.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein the order of levels is modified to minimize a number of the linked nodes, while maintaining logical equivalence.

14. An article comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium embodying instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in operations comprising:

providing a control within a graphical user interface to a user, the control comprising a plurality of graphical user interface elements corresponding to linked and unleveled nodes within a hierarchical structure , the hierarchical structure comprising at least one root node on a first end and at least one action node on a second end;

receiving a user-generated input identifying a selected graphical user interface element within the control;

identifying a selected node within the hierarchical structure corresponding to the selected graphical user interface element;

receiving a user-generated request for modifying an appearance of a subset of the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure based on a desired visualization criteria, the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure and the selected node, the nodes of the hierarchical structure being leveled; and

,

modifying an appearance of one or more graphical user interface elements corresponding to the received request while continuing to display all of the plurality of graphical user interface elements.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein the desired visualization criteria comprise a relation criteria and a selection criteria.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the relation criteria comprise at least one of the parents, children, ancestors, descendants and siblings.

17. The article of claim 15, wherein at least one of the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure corresponds to a condition variable and the relation criteria corresponds to the condition variable.

18. The article of claim 15, wherein the selection criteria comprise at least one of the color, fading and visibility.

19. The article of claim 15, wherein the selection criteria is based on data from a data set.

20. The article of claim 14, wherein the hierarchical structure is selected from the group consisting of DAG, EDAG, decision tree and action graph.

21. The article of claim 14, wherein the hierarchical structure is leveled.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein each level of the hierarchical structure is displayed by the control using alternating background colors.

23. An article comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium embodying instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in operations comprising:

providing a control within a graphical user interface to a user, the control comprising a plurality of graphical user interface elements corresponding to linked and unleveled nodes within a hierarchical structure, the hierarchical structure comprising an action graph having at least one root node on a first end and at least one action node on a second end;

receiving a user-generated input identifying a selected graphical user interface element within the control, such that the selected graphical user interface element corresponds to a selected action node, the selected graphical user interface element being selected based on frequency information, the frequency information being retrieved from a data store and indicating whether paths lead to a specific action more frequently than other paths;

receiving a user-generated input corresponding to a request for generation of an action graph based on the selected action node and a desired visualization criteria;

generating the action graph based on the selected action node, the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure and the desired visualization criteria, the nodes of the action graph being leveled; and

,

displaying the action graph to the user.

24. The article of claim 23, wherein the desired visualization criteria comprises:

replacing the root node with a first line;

connecting all nodes previously directly connected to the root node to the first line;

replacing the currently selected node with a second line; and

connecting all nodes previously directly connected to the currently selected node to the second line.

25. The article of claim 23, wherein the action graph is leveled.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein each level of the action graph is displayed by the control using alternating background colors.

27. The article of claim 23, wherein the action graph is optimized.

28. The article of claim 27, wherein the optimization is performed by modifying an order of levels.

29. The article of claim 28, wherein the order of levels is modified to minimize a number of the linked nodes, while maintaining logical equivalence.

30. An article comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium embodying instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in operations comprising:

providing a control within a graphical user interface to a user, the control comprising a plurality of graphical user interface elements corresponding to linked and unleveled nodes within a hierarchical structure, the hierarchical structure comprising at least one root node on a first end and at least one action node on a second end;

receiving a user-generated input identifying a selected graphical user interface element within the control, such that the selected graphical user interface element corresponds to a selected action node;

receiving a user-generated input corresponding to a request for generation of an action graph based on the selected action node and a desired visualization criteria;

generating the action graph based on the selected action node, the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure and the desired visualization criteria, wherein nodes of the action graph are leveled; and

,

displaying the action graph to the user.

31. The article of claim 30, wherein the desired visualization criteria comprises:

replacing the root node with a first line;

connecting all nodes previously directly connected to the root node to the first line;

replacing the currently selected node with a second line; and

connecting all nodes previously directly connected to the currently selected node to the second line.

32. The article of claim 30, wherein each level of the action graph is displayed by the control using alternating background colors.

33. The article of claim 30, wherein the action graph is optimized.

34. The article of claim 32, wherein the optimization is performed by modifying an order of levels.

35. The article of claim 34, wherein the order of levels is modified to minimize a number of the linked nodes, while maintaining logical equivalence.

36. A system comprising:

one or more data processors; and

memory storing instructions, which when executed, cause at least one data processor to perform operations comprising;

providing a control within a graphical user interface to a user, the control comprising a plurality of graphical user interface elements corresponding to linked and unleveled nodes within a hierarchical structure, the hierarchical structure comprising at least one root node on a first end and at least one action node on a second end;

receiving a user-generated input identifying a selected graphical user interface element within the control, such that the selected graphical user interface element corresponds to a selected action node;

receiving a user-generated input corresponding to a request for generation of an action graph based on the selected action node and a desired visualization criteria;

generating the action graph based on the selected action node, the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure and the desired visualization criteria, wherein nodes of the action graph are leveled; and

,

displaying the action graph to the user.

37. An apparatus comprising:

means for providing a control within a graphical user interface to a user, the control comprising a plurality of graphical user interface elements corresponding to linked and unleveled nodes within a hierarchical structure, the hierarchical structure comprising at least one root node on a first end and at least one action node on a second end;

means for receiving a user-generated input identifying a selected graphical user interface element within the control, such that the selected graphical user interface element corresponds to a selected action node;

means for receiving a user-generated input corresponding to a request for generation of an action graph based on the selected action node and a desired visualization criteria;

means for generating the action graph based on the selected action node, the linked nodes within the hierarchical structure and the desired visualization criteria, wherein nodes of the action graph are leveled; and

,

means for displaying the action graph to the user.