System and method for reorienting a display of clusters

• US 8,610,719 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuix North America Inc. (Nuix Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: FTI Consulting Technology LLC (FTI Consulting Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gallivan, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery A
• Application Number:
  US13/112,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20110221774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

A system and method for reorienting a display of clusters is provided. Clusters are maintained within a display. Each cluster includes a center located at a distance relative to a common origin for the display. A location of each cluster is compared to each other cluster. Two or more clusters that overlap are identified. At least one of the overlapping clusters is reoriented until no overlap occurs.

Claims

1. A system for reorienting a display of clusters, comprising:

a display of clusters, each cluster having a center located at a distance relative to a common origin for the display;

an overlap check module to compare a bounding region of each cluster to a bounding region of each other cluster and to determine that two or more of the clusters overlap;

a reorient module to reorient at least one of the overlapping clusters until no overlap occurs; and

a processor to execute the modules.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a coefficient determination module to determine a fixed coefficient, wherein the distance of each cluster in the display is extended based on the fixed coefficient during the reorientation.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a coefficient determination module to determine a variable coefficient, wherein the distance of the at least one overlapping cluster is multiplied by the variable coefficient during the reorientation.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the distances of the remaining overlapping clusters remain unchanged.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein the multiplied distance is calculated by a quadratic equation based on the distances of the centers of the overlapping clusters relative to the common origin.

6. A system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a comparison submodule to measure a span separating the centers of the overlapping clusters, wherein the span is proportionately increased relative to the increase in distance of the at least one overlapping cluster from the origin.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the distances of the clusters increase as the similarity of concepts represented by each cluster decreases.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein a shape of each cluster comprises one of a circle and a non-circle.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sort module to order the clusters relative to the distance from the common origin for each cluster.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the ordering is in one of ascending and descending order.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein each cluster represents multi-dimensional data modeled in a three-dimensional display space.

12. A method for reorienting a display of clusters, comprising:

providing a display of clusters, each cluster having a center located at a distance relative to a common origin for the display;

comparing a bounding region of each cluster to a bounding region of each other cluster and determining that two or more of the clusters overlap; and

reorienting at least one of the overlapping clusters until no overlap occurs,

wherein the steps are performed by a suitably-programmed computer.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

determining a fixed coefficient; and

extending the distance of each cluster in the display based on the fixed coefficient during the reorientation.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

determining a variable coefficient; and

multiplying the distance of the at least one overlapping cluster by the variable coefficient during the reorientation.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

allowing the distances of the remaining overlapping clusters to remain unchanged.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the multiplied distance is calculated by a quadratic equation based on the distances of the centers of the overlapping clusters relative to the common origin.

17. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

measuring a span separating the centers of the overlapping clusters; and

proportionately increasing the span relative to the increase in distance of the at least one overlapping cluster from the origin.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein the distances of the clusters increase as the similarity of concepts represented by each cluster decreases.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein a shape of each cluster comprises one of a circle and a non-circle.

20. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

ordering the clusters relative to the distance from the common origin for each cluster.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the ordering is in one of ascending and descending order.

22. A method according to claim 12, wherein each cluster represents multi-dimensional data modeled in a three-dimensional display space.