Data object visualization using graphs

Abstract

A presentation engine presents facts in a UI having a graph. Through manipulation of the UI, an end-user can add or remove facts from the graph, and can sort the facts shown in the graph based on values that are shown, or not shown, in the graph. The presentation engine determines a graph type that best facilitates interpretation of the facts by the end-user and automatically creates a graph of that type. Possible graph types include bar graphs, scatter plots, timelines, and maps.

1 . A computer-implemented method for graphically presenting facts, comprising: 
 establishing a set of facts, each fact having an attribute and a corresponding value;    determining a graph type that facilitates understanding of the facts; and    displaying the facts in a graph of the determined type.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 sorting the facts displayed in the graph.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein only a subset of the set of facts is displayed in the graph, and wherein the sorting comprises: 
 sorting the subset of facts displayed in the graph responsive at least in part to facts not being displayed in the graph.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing a set of facts comprises: 
 interfacing with a repository storing a collection of objects, wherein each object in the repository has a set of facts;    executing a query against the repository to identify a set of objects satisfying the query.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving data identifying one or more facts in the set to graphically present.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the received data indicate that multiple different attributes of facts are to be graphically presented and wherein the determined graph type is a scatter plot.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein receiving data identifying one or more facts comprises: 
 providing a user-interface enabling an end-user to selectively indicate which facts of the set of facts to graphically present.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a graph type comprises: 
 determining what the facts represent; and    determining the graph type responsive at least in part to what the facts represent.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the facts represent dates and wherein the graph type is determined to be a timeline showing the dates.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the facts represent geographic locations and wherein the graph type is determined to be a map illustrating the locations.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the facts represent numeric values and wherein the graph type is determined to be a bar graph wherein each fact has a bar indicating its numeric value.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the facts represent non-numeric values and wherein the graph type is determined to be a histogram showing a frequency of occurrence of facts having identical values.  
     
     
         13 . A system for graphically presenting facts, comprising: 
 an access module for establishing a set of facts, each fact having an attribute and a corresponding value; and    a graphical presentation module for determining a graph type that facilitates understanding of the facts and displaying the facts in a graph of the determined type.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the graphical presentation module is further adapted to sort the facts displayed in the graph.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein only a subset of the set of facts is displayed in the graph, and wherein the graphical presentation module is further adapted to sort the subset of facts displayed in the graph responsive at least in part to facts not being displayed in the graph.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the access module is further adapted to interface with a repository storing a collection of objects, wherein each object in the repository has a set of facts, and to execute a query against the repository to identify a set of objects satisfying the query.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a user interface (UI) generation module for providing a user-interface enabling an end-user to selectively indicate which facts of the set of facts to graphically present and for receiving data indicating the end-user's selections.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the received data indicate that multiple different attributes of facts are to be graphically presented and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a scatter plot.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the graphical presentation module is further adapted to determine what the facts represent and to determine the graph type responsive at least in part to what the facts represent.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the facts represent dates and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a timeline showing the dates.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the facts represent geographic locations and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a map illustrating the locations.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the facts represent numeric values and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a bar graph wherein each fact has a bar indicating its numeric value.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the facts represent non-numeric values and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a histogram showing a frequency of occurrence of facts having identical values.  
     
     
         24 . A computer program product having a computer-readable medium having computer program instructions embodied therein for graphically presenting facts, the computer program instructions comprising: 
 an access module for establishing a set of facts, each fact having an attribute and a corresponding value; and    a graphical presentation module for determining a graph type that facilitates understanding of the facts and displaying the facts in a graph of the determined type.    
     
     
         25 . The computer program product of  claim 24 , wherein the graphical presentation module is further adapted to sort the facts displayed in the graph.  
     
     
         26 . The computer program product of  claim 25 , wherein only a subset of the set of facts is displayed in the graph, and wherein the graphical presentation module is further adapted to sort the subset of facts displayed in the graph responsive at least in part to facts not being displayed in the graph.  
     
     
         27 . The computer program product of  claim 24 , wherein the access module is further adapted to interface with a repository storing a collection of objects, wherein each object in the repository has a set of facts, and to execute a query against the repository to identify a set of objects satisfying the query.  
     
     
         28 . The computer program product of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a user interface (UI) generation module for providing a user-interface enabling an end-user to selectively indicate which facts of the set of facts to graphically present and for receiving data indicating the end-user's selections.    
     
     
         29 . The computer program product of  claim 28 , wherein the received data indicate that multiple different attributes of facts are to be graphically presented and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a scatter plot.  
     
     
         30 . The computer program product of  claim 24 , wherein the graphical presentation module is further adapted to determine what the facts represent and to determine the graph type responsive at least in part to what the facts represent.  
     
     
         31 . The computer program product of  claim 30 , wherein the facts represent dates and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a timeline showing the dates.  
     
     
         32 . The computer program product of  claim 30 , wherein the facts represent geographic locations and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a map illustrating the locations.  
     
     
         33 . The computer program product of  claim 30 , wherein the facts represent numeric values and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a bar graph wherein each fact has a bar indicating its numeric value.  
     
     
         34 . The computer program product of  claim 30 , wherein the facts represent non-numeric values and wherein the graphical presentation module determines that the graph type is a histogram showing a frequency of occurrence of facts having identical values.