Charts from sketches

• US 9,395,204 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Albrecht, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): AMIN, JWALANT B
• Application Number:
  US13/652,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• 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 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts

Abstract

A sketch that includes a graphical chart representation can be received. A dataset can be automatically generated from the sketch can be received. Additionally, a graphical chart can be automatically generated from the sketch. The graphical chart can represent the sketch, and the dataset can include data represented in the graphical chart.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a digital sketch comprising a graphical chart representation;

automatically generating, by the computer system, a computer-readable dataset from the sketch, generating the dataset comprising automatically deriving new computer-readable data values from the sketch, automatically deriving the new data values comprising automatically deriving the new data values from one or more existing data values of at least one number whose shape is formed by one or more textual representations in the sketch, each of the one or more existing data values being represented by one or more textual representations in the sketch, and the new data values not being represented by textual representations in the sketch; and

automatically generating, by the computer system, a digital graphical chart from the sketch, the graphical chart representing the sketch, and the dataset comprising data represented in the graphical chart.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dataset is in the form of a table.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the graphical chart and the dataset in a user interface for a single application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the single application comprises a spreadsheet application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sketch is at least partially freehand.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the graphical chart from the sketch comprises automatically selecting a type of chart that is represented by the sketch.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein automatically selecting the type of chart comprises performing one or more pattern matching techniques using one or more graphical elements of the sketch.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically deriving comprises performing a derivation computation selected from a group consisting of interpolation, extrapolation, and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically deriving uses at least one graphical feature of the sketch, the at least one graphical feature being selected from a group consisting of a position of a graphical element, a size of a graphical element, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the new data values are represented by one or more graphical elements of the chart.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed at least in part by hardware logic.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically generating the graphical chart comprises automatically generating the graphical chart from the dataset, the dataset being generated from the sketch.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the sketch represents one or more callouts, and wherein the chart includes the one or more callouts.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input sketching a representation of a modification to the chart, the sketched representation of the modification to the chart being at least partially freehand, and in response to the user input sketching the representation of the modification to the chart, making the modification to the chart.

15. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by at least one processor cause at least one processor to perform acts comprising;

receiving a digital sketch that is at least partially freehand, the sketch including a graphical chart representation;

automatically generating a computer-readable dataset from the sketch, automatically generating the dataset comprising;

deriving a set of new data values from the sketch, deriving the set of new data values comprising deriving the new data values from one or more existing data values of at least one number whose shape is formed by one or more textual representations in the sketch, each of the one or more existing data values being represented by one or more textual representations in the sketch, and the new data values not being represented by textual representations in the sketch; and

automatically generating a digital graphical chart from the dataset.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein deriving the set of new data values comprises making one or more assumptions about one or more data values represented by one or more graphical elements of the sketch.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein generating the graphical chart from the dataset comprises automatically selecting a type of chart that is represented by the sketch, and wherein automatically selecting the type of chart comprises performing one or more pattern matching techniques using one or more graphical elements of the sketch.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause at least one processor to perform acts comprising:

receiving a sketch comprising a digital graphical chart representation;

automatically generating a computer-readable dataset from the sketch, generating the dataset comprising automatically deriving one or more new data values from the sketch;

automatically generating a digital graphical chart from the sketch, the graphical chart representing the sketch, and the dataset comprising data represented in the graphical chart;

receiving user input sketching a digital representation of a modification to the chart, the sketched representation of the modification to the chart being at least partially freehand; and

in response to the user input sketching the representation of the modification to the chart, making the modification to the chart.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein automatically deriving the one or more new data values comprises automatically deriving the one or more new data values from one or more data values represented in one or more textual representations in the sketch.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the dataset is in the form of a table.