Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Shape generating
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2004-11-23
Brier, Jeffery (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Shape generating
C345S443000, C345S467000, C345S689000, C345S582000, C345S440000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06822650
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to a system and method for visually conveying information and more particularly to a system and method for conveying information by modifying the visual attributes of visual objects to reflect the value of one or more variables.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Individuals often have the need to visually convey information to others. In the past, standard tables and charts have been used to express such information. A standard table consists of a systematic arrangement of rows and columns of interrelated data. An example of such a table is shown below in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Motion of a Projectile
Position on
Position on
X Axis (ft)
Y Axis (ft)
0
0
1
4
2
6
3
7
4
6
5
3
A standard chart consists of a graphical representation of the relationships between two or more interrelated variables. An example of such a chart, depicting the corresponding X and Y coordinates of a moving projectile, is shown in FIG.
1
.
Generally, all of the entries in a standard table are presented in the same format. For example, all entries in the table of
FIG. 1
have the same font (Times), the same font size (12 point), and the same font color (black). Thus, it is difficult to emphasize certain entries within standard tables.
Similarly, all of the markers in a standard chart are also normally presented in the same format. For example, all of the markers in the chart of
FIG. 1
have the same line width (0.75 point), the same marker size (⅛ inch), and the same marker shape (circular). Thus, it is also difficult to emphasize entries within standard charts.
It is often desirable to visually demonstrate the relationships between more than two interdependent variables in a table. For example, in the projectile example discussed above, the user may wish to present information regarding the movement of the projectile along a Z-axis perpendicular to both the X-axis and the Y-axis (i.e., use a two-dimensional table for a three-dimensional representation). In addition, the user may wish visually represent information concerning the time, after the object is set into motion, at which the projectile reaches each point along the X-axis.
Traditionally, the relationships between four interdependent variables have been depicted in a tabular format by creating a table having four columns; one column for each independent variable. Thus, in the example discussed above, an author could use known methods to create a table depicting the relationships between the four interdependent variables (X-position, Y-position, Z-position, and time) by adding two new columns to the table shown in FIG.
1
. Such a table is shown below as Table 2. The disadvantage of this technique is that it makes the table larger and more complex than a table having fewer columns.
TABLE 2
The Motion of a Projectile including
Z-Coordinates and Time
Position
Position
Position
on X
Y Axis
on Z
Time
Axis (ft)
(ft)
Axis (ft)
(seconds)
0
0
0
0
1
4
−1
1
2
6
−1
2
3
7
−1
3
4
6
0
4
5
3
1
5
It is also often desirable to visually demonstrate the relationships between more than two interdependent variables in a two-dimensional chart. Traditionally, authors have depicted the relationships between three interdependent variables in a chart by first creating a two-dimensional chart to display the relationship between two of the interdependent variables, as shown in
FIG. 2
, and then coloring the chart's markers to represent the relationship between the third interdependent variable and the two variables already depicted. Such a technique is commonly used in topographical maps to indicate changes in elevation.
Thus, returning to the example above, an author could use known techniques to indicate the Z-position of the projectile in the chart of
FIG. 2
by first establishing a legend of colors corresponding to various Z-coordinates and then coloring each of the markers according to the legend. An example of such a technique is shown in
FIG. 2
below.
Authors have not been successful in developing an elegant technique for displaying the relationships between four or more interdependent variables in a two-dimensional chart. Authors often indicate values of a fourth variable by writing the value of the fourth variable next to the appropriate marker as shown below in FIG.
3
. However, such a technique causes charts to be cluttered and difficult to read.
Thus, there is a need for a method for emphasizing certain entries in visual representations of information such as tables and charts. There is also a need for a method for increasing the amount of information that can be displayed within a table without increasing the physical size of the table. Similarly, there is a need for a method of increasing the amount of information that can be displayed within a chart without making the chart difficult to read. Thus, there is a need for a method of increasing the information density within a table or a chart. There is also a need for a method of efficiently representing the interrelationships between four or more interrelated variables in a two-dimensional chart.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the problems associated with standard visual data presentation techniques by using visual attributes (such as color, fill type, border width, line width, line style, font size, marker size and marker type) of characters or markers to convey information to the reader. In particular, the invention emphasizes data within a table or a chart by modifying the visual attributes of characters or markers within the table or chart if the characters or markers represent values meeting specified criteria. For example, the invention can emphasize all data points with negative values by increasing the line width of the characters or markers that represent data points having values less than zero.
Similarly, the invention can increase information density within a table or chart and thus, for example, elegantly represent the relationships between four or more interrelated variables in a two-dimensional chart. The invention accomplishes this by associating data values with corresponding visual attributes. These visual attributes are then applied to a character or marker within a table, chart, or other visual representation to visually express the data values. Thus, for example, the invention might use the size of a marker within a chart to indicate speed. In such a chart, large markers might indicate greater speed and smaller markers might indicate lessor speed within a pre-determined range.
The present invention performs the above-described techniques by means of a formatting object that is executed on a computer system. The formatting object accomplishes this by defining at least one format map that comprises one or more mapping segments. Each mapping segment includes a beginning boundary value, an ending boundary value, at least one beginning visual attribute corresponding to the beginning boundary value, and at least one ending visual attribute corresponding to the ending boundary value. During execution, the format map is associated with a particular variable for which at least one data value is retrieved from a data file. For each mapping segment, the system associates the beginning boundary value of the mapping segment with the beginning visual attribute of the mapping segment to define a first mapping point, and associates the ending boundary value of the mapping segment with the ending visual attribute of the mapping segment to define a second mapping point. If a given data value falls between the beginning and ending boundary values of a given mapping segment, the system applies interpolation techniques in combination with the data corresponding to the first and second mapping points to determine one or more visual attributes corresponding to the data value. The system may then express the data value by associating these visual attributes with a visual object, such as a character in a table or a marker in a chart.
The present invention can express the boundary values of each mapping segment as rea
Couckuyt Jeff
Davies Paul
Davis Randall
Amini Javid
Brier Jeffery
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Microsoft Corporation
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