Controlling visualization of data by a dashboard widget

• US 10,831,356 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pourshahid, Alireza
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhatia, Ajay M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Phoebe X
• Application Number:
  US14/176,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20150227299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,465 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]

Abstract

Display data in a data graphical user interface (GUI) on a display device and display, by a processor, a control GUI on the display device representing the data. The control GUI includes a range defining visual element, corresponding to a data value, that is moveable via input received by the control GUI and defines two ranges of the data. The processor displays indicia associated with the range defining visual element indicating the corresponding data value. The processor receives input from the control GUI indicating the range defining visual element has been moved. In response, the processor visually emphasizes data in the data GUI having data values in a selected one of the defined data range.

Claims

1. A method for controlling visualization of data, the method comprising:

displaying, by a processor, first data in a first data graphical user interface (GUI) in a dashboard on a display device, wherein the first data GUI displays the first data in a two-dimensional data table;

displaying, by the processor, a control GUI in the dashboard representing the first data, the control GUI including two or more needle-shaped range defining visual elements, each having a first end corresponding to a data value and a second end, the first end of each range defining visual element being moveable on a circular path via input received by the control GUI, the second end of each range defining visual element being fixed at a same point, the two or more range defining visual elements defining three or more ranges of the first data, wherein the first data GUI and the control GUI are simultaneously displayed in the dashboard, and a first communication link allows information to pass between the first data GUI and the control GUI;

displaying, by the processor, indicia associated with each of the two or more range defining visual elements, each indicia indicating the data value corresponding with the respective range defining visual element;

receiving, by the processor, input from the control GUI indicating that one of the two or more range defining visual elements has been moved, thereby re-defining two of the three or more ranges of the first data, the input including a selection of one of the three or more ranges of the first data in the control GUI; and

in response to receiving the input, visually emphasizing data in the first data GUI having data values in the selected one of the three or more ranges of the first data in the control GUI.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying, by the processor, of the control GUI includes:

displaying a plurality of zones representing definable portions of the first data, each of the plurality of zones having distinguishable visual characteristics, the zones being separated by zone defining visual elements;

defining, by the processor, the portions of the first data represented by each of the zones, based on data values of the first data in the first data GUI; and

displaying, by the processor, indicia associated with the zone defining visual elements indicating a data value representing a threshold value of the defined portions of the first data.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the visually emphasizing data in the first data GUI having data values in the selected one of the three or more ranges of the first data in the control GUI further comprises:

visually emphasizing first data in the first data GUI, in the selected one of the three or more ranges of the first data, with the visual characteristics of the zones representing portions of the first data in the selected range.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the zone defining visual elements are movable via input received by the control GUI.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, input from the control GUI indicating at least one of the plurality of zone defining visual elements have been moved; and

in response, visually emphasizing first data in the first data GUI having data values in a selected one of the defined data ranges.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

establishing a second communication link that allows information to pass between a second data GUI and the control GUI, the second data GUI displaying second data;

defining, by the processor, the portions of the first and second data represented by each of the zones, based on data values of the first data in the first data GUI and the second data in the second data GUI; and

updating the display of a plurality of zones to represent a superset of the data ranges of the first and second data.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting one of the defined data ranges includes one or more of:

a mouse click on the data range;

a touch on the data range; and

a pre-defined selection.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein visually emphasizing includes changing size, changing color, changing font, changing background, and special effects.

9. A non-transitory computer program product for controlling visualization of data, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, the program instructions comprising:

program instructions to display, by a processor, first data in a first data graphical user interface (GUI) in a dashboard on a display device, wherein the first data GUI displays the first data in a two-dimensional data table;

program instructions to display, by the processor, a control GUI in the dashboard representing the first data, the control GUI including two or more needle-shaped range defining visual elements, each having a first end corresponding to a data value and a second end, the first end of each range defining visual element being moveable on a circular path via input received by the control GUI, the second end of each range defining visual element being fixed at a same point, the two or more range defining visual elements defining three or more ranges of the first data, wherein the first data GUI and the control GUI are simultaneously displayed in the dashboard, and a first communication link allows information to pass between the first data GUI and the control GUI;

program instructions to display, by the processor, indicia associated with each of the two or more range defining visual elements, each indicia indicating the data value corresponding with the respective range defining visual element;

program instructions to receive, by the processor, input from the control GUI indicating that one of the two or more range defining visual elements has been moved, thereby re-defining two of the three or more ranges of the first data, the input including a selection of one of the three or more ranges of the first data in the control GUI; and

in response to receiving the input, program instructions to visually emphasize data in the in the first data GUI having data values in the selected one of the three or more ranges of the first data in the control GUI.

10. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the program instructions to display, by the processor, the control GUI include:

displaying a plurality of zones representing definable portions of the first data, each of the plurality of zones having distinguishable visual characteristics, the zones being separated by zone defining visual elements;

defining, by the processor, the portions of the first data represented by each of the zones, based on data values of the first data in the first data GUI; and

displaying, by the processor, indicia associated with the zone defining visual elements indicating a data value representing a threshold value of the defined portions of the first data.

11. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the visually emphasizing data in the first data GUI having data values in the selected one of the three or more ranges of the first data in the control GUI further comprises:

program instructions to visually emphasize first data in the data GUI, in the selected one of the three or more ranges of the first data, with the visual characteristics of the zones representing portions of the first data in the selected range.

12. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the zone defining visual elements are movable via input received by the control GUI.

13. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 12, further comprising:

program instructions to receive, by the processor, input from the control GUI indicating at least one of the plurality of zone defining visual elements have been moved; and

in response, program instructions to visually emphasize data in the first data GUI having data values in a selected one of the defined data range.

14. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 10, the program instructions further comprising:

establishing a second communication link that allows information to pass between a second data GUI and the control GUI, the second data GUI displaying second data;

defining, by the processor, the portions of the first and second data represented by each of the zones, based on data values of the first data in the first data GUI and the second data in the second data GUI; and

updating the display of a plurality of zones to represent a superset of the data ranges of the first and second data.

15. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 9, wherein program instructions to select one of the defined data ranges include one or more of:

a mouse click on the data range;

a touch on the data range; and

a pre-defined selection.

16. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 9, wherein program instructions to visually emphasize includes changing size, changing color, changing font, changing background, and special effects.

17. A computer system for controlling visualization of data, the computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer readable memories, one or more computer readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising:

program instructions to display, by a processor, first data in a first data graphical user interface (GUI) in a dashboard on a display device, wherein the first data GUI displays the first data in two-dimensional a data table;

program instructions to display, by the processor, a control GUI in the dashboard representing the first data, the control GUI including two or more needle-shaped range defining visual elements, each having a first end corresponding to a data value and a second end, the first end of each range defining visual element being moveable on a circular path via input received by the control GUI, the second end of each range defining visual element being fixed at a same point, the two or more range defining visual elements defining three or more ranges of the first data, wherein the first data GUI and the control GUI are simultaneously displayed in the dashboard, and a first communication link allows information to pass between the first data GUI and the control GUI;

program instructions to display, by the processor, indicia associated with each of the two or more range defining visual elements, each indicia indicating the data value corresponding with the respective range defining visual element;

program instructions to receive, by the processor, input from the control GUI indicating that one of the two or more range defining visual elements has been moved, thereby re-defining two of the three or more ranges of the first data, the input including a selection of one of the three or more ranges of the first data in the control GUI; and

in response to receiving the input, program instructions to visually emphasize data in the in the first data GUI having data values in the selected one of the three or more ranges of the first data in the control GUI.